Harry Potter and the IWA
by InchySquinchy
Summary: It's their sixth year and it seems the very mysterious I.W.A. is starting to reappear. Is it really a myth? Sequel to HP and the Stone of Power. Oh and PWEASE review!
1. Emptiness

CHAPTER ONE- Emptiness  
  
Emptiness. It filled the house and the people in it. There was seven though there should have been eight. At night, just before going to sleep, you could hear muffled sobs from any of the rooms. It was very hard to decide who the saddest person in the house was. It was a close contest between Mrs. Molly Weasley, and Harry Potter.  
  
Harry lie in the room, staring at the ceiling with blurry eyes. His blurry vision was due to one of two things. One, his glasses were off. And two, he had been crying and was still. Above he could see orange blurs zipping around the ceiling and walls. Beside him, a snowy owl was settled, trying to cheer him up. She kept nudging him and clicking her beak.  
  
In another part the room was an extremely downhearted feathered tennis ball with a beak. It was really a minute owl. Pigwidgeon (Or Pig, for short) sat at the bottom of his cage, sighing and hardly moving.  
  
There was a gentle knock on the door and a young, slender and extremely beautiful girl entered. Her flaming red hair curved under her chin, framing her sweet, innocent face. She had bright brown eyes, many freckles and a slender yet curvy body. She was wearing baggy denim jeans and a black top. Ever since IT happened, she always wore something black.  
  
"Harry?" She asked, holding a tray of food.  
  
Harry blinked and turned his head towards her. ". what." He croaked from a dry throat.  
  
"You need to eat. Drink. At least get out of bed." She said, setting the tray by the bed.  
  
"I'm not hungry. I'm not thirsty. And I don't feel like moving."  
  
"Harry you haven't eaten anything since that piece of toast yesterday morning. And you haven't had anything to drink except for half glass of water last night." She said, spying a half-drunk glass of water. She quickly exchanged it with a full glass. "and you haven't gotten out of that bed except to go to the bathroom. yesterday!"  
  
"I said I'm not hungry, I'm not thirsty, and I don't feel like moving." Harry said, staring back at the ceiling.  
  
"MUM!" Ginny Weasley suddenly screeched causing Harry to jerk. "HE WON'T EAT OR DRINK OR MOVE!"  
  
There was the sound of pattering feet then Mrs. Weasley appeared. "Harry, dear, you need to." She said, blinking away her tears.  
  
"I don't feel like it." He managed.  
  
Molly crossed the room, stabbed a piece of meat with the fork and shoved it in Harry's mouth. "You eat or else!" She snapped.  
  
Harry chewed and swallowed, then sat up. "I really don't feel like-" Molly forced some potato in his mouth. She glared at him and he chewed and swallowed. "I know you want me to but I don't wan-" Molly forced some cooked carrot in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. "this is-" Molly forced-fed him until the plate was completely clean. He was already beginning to get color in his cheek already. Molly then forced a small glass of water into his mouth followed by a large glass of milk.  
  
"Are you quite done?" He asked as she wiped his mouth off with a napkin.  
  
"Ginny, leave us. I need to talk to Harry alone."  
  
"Okay, mum." Ginny said and left.  
  
Molly sat down beside Harry, and gently put an arm around him, embracing him like a mother would. "Harry. you can't blame yourself. I don't want to see you malnourished or dehydrating yourself or beating yourself up." She said and Harry felt like crying again. "I miss him. we all do but. Ron wouldn't want you to starve or thirst. Would he?" She asked and Harry slowly shook his head. "Ron would want you to continue your life. and not sink into an incurable state of depression. Right?"  
  
"Y-yeah." Harry managed.  
  
"Good. if you need anything. I'll be here for you." Molly gently kissed his forehead and left.  
  
***  
  
The sun beat down on the figures of two, stretched out in the grass and talking happily. A third figure sulked under a tree, trying to avoid the heat of the sun.  
  
"Draco come on. You're not a vampire." Fourteen year old Jasmine Potter said, looking at her scowling boyfriend.  
  
"Maybe he is." Suggested Jasmine's close friend, Matthew Green. "Yep. He is. He's been hiding it from you."  
  
"Oh shut up." Draco snapped, arms folded. "I am not coming out of the shade."  
  
"Oh yes, heaven FORBID you lose your nice tan." Matt said.  
  
Sixteen year old Draco Malfoy, a small, extremely pale boy with silvery blonde hair, looked hard at Matt. "Watch it, Green. I've already started studying ahead for my human transfigurations and you might wake up as a nice lizard one morning."  
  
"Draco!" Jasmine snapped rather angrily. "we do NOT threaten to turn my best friends into reptiles."  
  
"How about a frog then? Hey! Those aren't reptiles!" Draco said as Jasmine scowled at him.  
  
"You KNOW what I meant."  
  
"Yeah, Drakie. You know what she meant." Matt said.  
  
Draco leapt to his feet and aimed his wand. "Homo Switchus bison bison!" He shouted. Matt fell back against the ground and grew a pair of huge horns and his hair turned a deep brown.  
  
"DRACO!" Jasmine screamed.  
  
"I'm sorry I just couldn't take it." Draco said, putting his wand up.  
  
"Magic isn't allowed out of Hogwarts." Jasmine said, looking at a bewildered half-bison half-Matt.  
  
"We're not in England now, are we?" Draco drawled out.  
  
"And why would you turn him into a bison?!" Jasmine demanded, trying to think of a counter-spell.  
  
"It was the only Latin name of an animal I could think of." He said, gray eyes wide with innocence.  
  
"Wipe that look off your face. okay I can't think of anything- MOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!" Jasmine screeched.  
  
Mrs. Eleanor Ebbins ran from the house. "What on earth are you screeching at, dear- oh my!" Eleanor stared at Matt then looked at Draco who was putting his wand up. She didn't really like that odd boy much. She often wondered why her beautiful daughter chose a boy like HIM to be a couple. Jasmine was one of the prettiest girls in the world. Her deep red hair flowed down to halfway between her shoulders and elbows. In light, it glinted beautifully. Her face was oval, her eyes a deep, deep brown. A couple inches shorter then Draco, and she was slender and curvy. 'Oh well.' Eleanor thought. 'At least she is happy.' "Come on, Matt. I'll get you fixed up." Eleanor and Matt went inside. Jasmine turned angrily towards Draco. "Jasmine. please stop glaring at me like that."  
  
"Okay I'll stop glaring. but no more kisses today because of what you did." She said.  
  
Draco started scowling again.  
  
***  
  
Despite his sad state, Harry had to laugh at the letter from his sister. At Malfoy trying to turn Matt into a bison.  
  
I can wait to get back in England in two weeks. I really miss you, Harry. And Hermione and Peggy. I got a letter from Hermione the other day. She seems to really, really be enjoying her time with Viktor Krum. Nearly as much as I enjoy spending time with Draco. Harry. I know you scorn him but please try and be nice to him when we come. please. I'm begging you.  
  
Love always,  
  
Jasmine  
  
Harry folded the paper up, wrote a reply back and sent it back with Toby, Jasmine's red-tailed hawk she used instead of the usual owls.  
  
The previous year, Harry and Jasmine had met for the first time since they were babies. They were long-lost brother and sister. Jasmine had found out the truth, they had met and discovered it was all true. They're close relationship had threatened to tear when Jasmine started dating Harry's bitter rival, ruthless opponent and mortal enemy- Draco Malfoy. There were threats and so Jasmine had secretly dated Draco. But Harry had found out but knew he couldn't break the two up.  
  
Harry walked over to the window and looked outside.  
  
In the garden below, were four red-heads. Two pairs of identical twins. One pair were two trouble-making boys. Fred and George Weasley, who had just graduated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The second pair were two trouble-making girls. Frederika and Georgette Halls. They had transferred to Hogwarts the previous year and had also graduated. Fred and Georgette were dating, and George and Frederika were dating. The four of them had just opened a joke shop with Lee Jordan, Fred and George's best friend. Molly had made no protest at this. And Harry knew it was only because of Ron.  
  
Harry leaned against the windowsill. Ron Weasley. Closing his eyes, he could easily see his best friend in the entire world. or. his old best friend.  
  
Less then two months prior. Ron had been killed. saving Harry's life.  
  
"Harry.?" He turned and saw Percy standing on the other side of the door, adjusting his glasses.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked.  
  
"Letter for you." He said and handed over a letter.  
  
"Thanks Percy." Harry said in a rather hollow voice.  
  
Percy just nodded and left quickly. He could not go inside of Ron's old room. He hated even being near the door. He was the only one who had not gone inside the room since Ron's death.  
  
Harry was quite the opposite. He had hardly left Ron's room since he had arrived back at the Burrow.  
  
With his only living relatives (minus Jasmine) hospitalized, and his godfather disappeared plus an indicted murderer of thirteen people, Harry had no where else to go.  
  
Jasmine was in America with the family that had adopted her.  
  
Hermione Granger, his other best friend, was in Bulgaria visiting Viktor Krum.  
  
Harry thought of Peggy Morlins. He didn't know WHAT to think of her. when he had found someone close to him was a servant of Voldemort. after a while the finger of suspicion fell on Peggy.  
  
Sirius Black (His godfather), who was an unregistered Animagus, had acted extremely strange when they had met in Hogsmeade one evening. and Peggy acted equally odd. Then she 'had' gotten a note that 'said' 'Master wants you right away'. And she disappeared from the school.  
  
But then the traitor had been discovered to be somebody else. And then when Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jasmine and Sirius were in a cave, face-to-face with Voldemort and three of his Death Eaters (two which died). Peggy had 'appeared'. She was obviously going to fight Voldemort. but Voldemort sent the Death Curse at Harry and Disapparated. That was when Ron had shoved Harry out of the way and was hit with the Death Curse.  
  
Peggy had paralyzed Wormtail- a lying, stinking, treacherous Wizard who was the reason Harry and Jasmine's parents were dead and Sirius was an indicted murderer. Then after talking to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, Sirius had taken Wormtail (whose real name was Peter Pettigrew) to what Dumbledore had said was 'headquarters'. Then Peggy left.  
  
She appeared a few days later (with straight hair and glasses) and insisted that she had never done any of that and the note had really said her aunt had been attacked. She also insisted the other one was a plant and denied everything. And since the girl didn't look exactly like her, she insisted it must of been someone who looked like her with no glasses and curly hair.  
  
Nonetheless, Harry didn't completely trust her.  
  
***  
  
The Stone was nestled there. not yet detected by Harry. It had been two weeks and he hadn't even begun to clean out his trunks.  
  
Inside the Stone, though invisible on the outside, a white spirit floated.  
  
Waiting..  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
I was stretched out on the most comfortable bed in the entire earth. Thinking about that. I laughed. "In the earth." I mumbled to myself and began laughing again. "BBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCKKKKK!"  
  
I fell of the bed and landed on the floor with a very loud 'thud' at the voice of HIM. I scowled, rather upset over being disturbed. In the first time for a while, I was quite comfortable. The beds here were like heaven. no bed, even with all the magic making it soft, could simply not COMPETE! The beds just seemed to be the exactness of what you need to get an absolute perfect night of sleep. It was just total-  
  
"BLAAAAAAAAAAAACK! SIRIUS BLACK!"  
  
I ran my fingers through my long, yet brushed and neat, hair. "Yeah?"  
  
"GET IN MY OFFICE RIGHT AWAY!" And HIS voice fell silent.  
  
"In his office yeah I'll give him in his office." I grumbled angrily, grabbing my cloak and card, and left my perfect room.  
  
The corridor was extremely long. The floor was tiled white and silver. The walls were smooth and creamy. My boots echoed down the empty corridor as I walked forward.  
  
"Hullo Sirius." A woman with hair like the moon passed me.  
  
"Hello Cassandra." I managed without wincing or cringing. No one liked to talk to Cassandra. oh no. not her. She paused and looked at me with silvery blue eyes that slowly began turning pure silver. I jumped back. "I gotta go!" I turned and ran down the hall as fast as I could.  
  
Cassandra watched the future like Muggles watched TV. And when her eyes turned silver and she was looking at you. well that meant she was seeing your future and 99% of the time she told you what she had seen. And that could really mess a person up.  
  
I finally reached an ebony door and opened it. Behind it was a small room where a witch typed furiously on a magical typewriter.  
  
"Hello Mr. Black." She looked up at me and slid her cat-eye glasses back up. "He will see you in just a moment if you will please have a seat."  
  
I sat down on the over-stuffed leather couch, watching the witch. She must of been the height of Harry. Her gray-brown hair was pulled tightly in a bun on the back of the top of her head. Her skin was smooth and fair. She had bright brown eyes behind thick-rimmed cat-eye glasses. She was wearing a pink blouse, gray skirt and matching gray jacket as well as four-inch high heeled pink shoes.  
  
"Long time no see, eh?" I asked, looking around the waiting room.  
  
"Trust me, Mr. Black. Not long enough." She mumbled, eyes focused on what she was typing. Amelia Walitza could type exactly nine hundred and thirty- two words a minute. She often tried breaking her record. She once nearly got nine hundred and thirty-three, but the minute was up before she could finish the word 'yours'.  
  
The large mahogany door burst open and a very distressed wizard left. He spotted me and sighed. "Good luck, Sirius. he's in a foul, foul mood."  
  
"What, is he doing the Chicken Dance?" I asked.  
  
Amelia burst into giggles and the wizard, Carlton by name, shook his head. "You're never going to change, are you?" He asked.  
  
"I hope not." I said with a wide grin.  
  
Carlton left and I went in, winking at Amelia on the way. "You wanted to see me boss?" I asked. The large maroon chair had its back to me, but I could see HIS hand rested on the arm. I could see a bit of gray sleeve from his suit, white cuffs and his claw-like hand. His fingers tapped against the wood at the end of the armrest, fingernails making a 'tapping' sound.  
  
"It took you long enough, Black." Came the cold voice of HIM. I didn't know his real name. I always called him 'HIM' or Sir.  
  
"I ran into Cassandra on the way." I said, not bothering to point out the fact he was in a meeting with Carlton when I had arrived.  
  
"You know why I called you?" Sir asked.  
  
"Uh. to cheer you up?" I asked brightly.  
  
The maroon chair swirled around and his steel gray eyes glared at me. "You failed to get the Stone of Power!" He shouted and I leapt back.  
  
"Hey! It is NOT my fault!"  
  
"Yes it is! You are TOO soft on that boy. Being friends with his father was a mistake." He growled.  
  
"James was a great man." I said, narrowing my eyes. "and Harry's best friend had just DIED!!!! He was kind of in SHOCK!"  
  
"Don't you dare scream at me." He said, raising a hand. A long, thin bony finger pointed at me.  
  
"Sheesh, sir. You act like the world is on the verge of a Muggle-Wizard war." I said, folding my arms.  
  
"I just want Voldemort down. he nearly got the Philosopher/Sorcerer's stone. and he could of gotten the Stone of Power." Sir said. "we must get it and destroy it."  
  
"What if it has a spirit in it?" I asked.  
  
"That does not matter. We MUST destroy the Stone so Voldemort cannot get it." Sir continued, and began searching through his desk. He raised a claw- like hand which gripped his wand. Waving it, a teapot appeared as well as two saucers and cups. "Would you like some?"  
  
"Oh yes, sir. It would be lovely if I. could have. a cup. of. TEA!" I shrieked. Sir narrowed his eyes and waved his wand. The teapot tipped and poured tea in the cups then settled on the desk as one cup and saucer flew to him and the other to me.  
  
I caught it and gulped half down with one gulp while he slowly sipped his. "So what you are saying is. we must destroy the Stone even if it has a spirit in it. without trying to get the spirit out and give that person another chance at life?" I asked.  
  
"Black." Sir set his cup of tea down. "it is the person's fault for being greedy and having the Stone with him or her in the first place."  
  
"If that is the way you feel then I won't find out where Harry has so cleverly hidden the Stone." I finished my tea and let the cup and saucer clank down on his desk. "good day." I walked out and looked at Amelia. "What did he want?"  
  
"Trying to rise up in here like always." I said with a shrug. "if he doesn't watch out, he'll end up as Crouch did."  
  
"Crouch?" Amelia asked, adjusting her glasses. "the man from the English Ministry of Magic? The one who sent you to Azkaban without a trial?"  
  
"The one and the same." I said and slowly shook my head. "Sir and Crouch are too much alike for my liking. good day, Amelia."  
  
"Bye Sirius." She giggled as I left.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
A beautiful tawny owl floated through Ron's open window and dropped a letter in my lap. It took a quick drink of water, before leaving again.  
  
Frowning, I opened the letter. I recognized Sirius's handwriting right away.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I just thought I should tell you that I am perfectly fine. I'm safe and Wormtail will be on trial soon. As in, I'll be proven innocent. Wormtail is locked up somewhere where he cannot escape, even if he turned into a puff of steam. Heh, heh. I can tell you ONE thing- he is getting very crazy. Keeps yelling that we'll get our 'comeuppance' and that 'the dark lord will kill us all and have his revenge'. He keeps trying to make it sound like a prediction/prophesy thing but there are plenty of experts who can tell the real thing from what Wormtail is doing.  
  
Anyway. don't bother to write back. I'll send you an update as soon as anything happens.  
  
Sirius  
  
I reread the letter over many times then frowned. 'Don't bother to write back'. sighing, I folded the paper and tucked it in my robes.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view. again)  
  
I walked down the corridor, muttering angrily to myself. Sir had called me in to demand I write to Harry and find out where the Stone was hidden. I wrote to Harry, all right. but certainly didn't ask him where he concealed the Stone.  
  
"Ziriuz?" I looked up as Claire Clavell appeared.  
  
"Yeah, Claire?" I asked.  
  
"Don't let Zir get to 'oo. He ees a thick-headed dolt." She said in her French accent.  
  
"I know. is that all you wanted?"  
  
The 19-year old girl tucked a strand of white-blonde hair behind her ear. "Oui. Monsieur Jones would like to seeee 'oo."  
  
"Thanks." I said.  
  
"Eet iz being nothing." She said and floated off.  
  
I went the corridors, going through various doors, until finally I got to Mr. Jones door. It was just like him- bland. My hand fell on the doorknob, and I opened.  
  
His front office was NOTHING like sir's. Jones's secretary was about my height with curly blandish brown hair, tan skin and bright blue eyes. She wasn't as good as a typist as Amelia, but Jessica Fins made up for it with genius. There was not a dictionary or thesaurus to be found in the room. The room, in fact, was empty except for the desk and a filing cabinet.  
  
"Go on in, Mr. Black." Jessica said, eyes closed and obviously thinking.  
  
I walked into Mr. Jones office. He was staring out his window and shaking. "You wanted to see me, Mr. Jones?" I asked.  
  
Mr. Jones turned. He was unlike any other man I had ever met before. A tall, thin man whose small, thin face was very plain and bland. He was a very bland man, wearing very bland clothes. His dull brown eyes watched me as I shut the door.  
  
"Hello Mr. Black." He said in his voice so bland, and way of talking so slow, it would of put Professor Binns to shame if he went for the History of Magic teacher's job at Hogwarts. Really when he said something more than three sentences long I found myself feeling quite drowsy.  
  
"Hi Mr. Jones." I said.  
  
"Have a seat."  
  
I sat down in a chair (another difference between him and Sir. Sir didn't allow anyone but himself to sit in his office) and Mr. Jones sat in his bland chair. "I wanted to talk to you about Mr. Peter Pettigrew." Jones talked slowly and blandly.  
  
"Okay." I said.  
  
"He gave us a confession after we gave him the Veritaserum potion. though we already knew you were innocent. but some didn't. But now we got everyone. You got the entire place to back you." I rested my elbow on my leg, on my other hand, and my chin on my fist, trying not to fall asleep. "we'll be sending a letter to the English Minister of. oh wait. there is no Minister of Magic in England right now. oh dear. I suppose I'll have to write to One of the TOP. Miss Fins." He called and Jessica ran in. I fell asleep as Jones told Jessica what to write in the letter.  
  
***  
  
Harry paced in Ron's room, not wanting to do anything. Suddenly he heard a strange noise behind him. Slowly turning, he saw his trunk lid slowly opening. Figuring it was the Weasley's ghoul being invisible, he shrugged it off.  
  
Suddenly Harry began breathing hard as the tiny blue stone floated out of his trunk, and landed on the floor.  
  
It rolled over and stopped at his feet. Harry stooped down and picked it up. The last time he had held the Stone it felt like a regular stone. but now it was pulsating with a life.  
  
A. life?  
  
Harry nearly dropped the Stone which held a life force inside of it.  
  
Ron's life force. 


	2. Old Friends

CHAPTER TWO- Old Friends (Harry's point of view)  
  
I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. I just stared at the Stone. I could feel Ron's life force. his essence inside of that Stone. Finally, I pulled it close to my eye and looked hard. I saw nothing but blueness. I held it up to my ear but heard nothing. But there was something in there. Ron was in there. I put the Stone in my pocket and ran to Ron's desk. Wait, what was I doing? Jasmine was catching a PLANE back here. She couldn't come any sooner. Besides, it'd be almost time for her to leave by the time my letter reached her.  
  
Hermione? No. I didn't feel like ruining her fun with Krum.  
  
Peggy.? I had no clue where she was. I had no clue if she was good or evil. If she was lying or speaking the truth. If she could be trusted or not.  
  
Sighing, I pulled the Stone from my pocket and flopped on my bed, trying to see in the Stone. I couldn't see or hear anything. but I could feel it.  
  
Ron was definitely inside of that Stone. I had to write someone. Anyone.  
  
And despite what Sirius said, I begun my letter to him.  
  
***  
  
Sirius looked up as Hedwig floated through his door, looking slightly dazed from the trip. She collapsed on his desk. Sirius threw his book down and ran over, feeling for life. She was still alive.  
  
He revived her from her unconscious state and made food and drink appear which she gladly ate and drank. Sirius, in the mean time, untied the letter tied to her leg, throwing swear words at his godson the whole time.  
  
Sirius,  
  
I have the Stone of Power in my pocket as I write this. Also, it holds Ron's life force. If you have any idea how to free it WRITE ME ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Harry  
  
Swearing more at his godson with words that wouldn't even be suitable in R rated movies, he threw the piece of paper on the floor and pointed his wand.  
  
"Incendio!" Flames burst from his wand and burned the paper to ashes. This wasn't enough for Sirius. "Cascadus Dropulus!" Drops of water fell onto the ash, until it began like mud. Sirius wasn't done yet. He scooped the ashy mud-like substance onto a piece of parchment and put a few sparks on the end of his wand, holding it close till the ash mud-substance dried. Next, Sirius began smashing it with his wand, making it into a powdery stuff. He took a fourth of it and flushed it down a toilet, another fourth of it he put into a mug of stale beer he had left on his dresser and stirred it till there was no sign of the powder. He then poured the beer down the sink. Then, he took the rest of the powder stuff and tipped it into a glass of water. He then dumped the glass of water on the floor and mopped it up with a towel, then rung the towel out into a bucket, then dumped the bucket into the sink. Most of it went down the drain, but some clung to the side.  
  
Sirius mopped that up with a tissue, threw the tissue in the toilet and flushed again.  
  
Satisfied there was no possible way anyone could ever find out what that letter had said, he went back into his living room where he saw three people.  
  
Mr. Martin, Claire and. Sir.  
  
Sir's arms were folded and his steel gray eyes looked even more steely then usual. "Going to a lot of trouble to conceal a letter, Mr. Black."  
  
"I h-have no idea what you're talking about." Sirius said and held up a bottle. "beer?"  
  
"Reducto!" The bottle burst open, sending shattered glass and beer onto the floor. Sir crossed the room and grabbed Sirius by the collar. "I am not going to be messed with."  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sirius repeated. Sir let go of Sirius and pointed his wand.  
  
"Sorry to do this to you. Veritas!"  
  
It felt as though an ice cold dagger had been stabbed through his chest, and into Sirius's heart. The golden light sunk deep into his heart and stopped. "What did the letter say?" Sir demanded.  
  
Unable to stop himself, Sirius talked. "Harry wrote to me saying he has the Stone of Power with him and that it held his-" Sirius never finished. Sir moved his wand and took the curse off.  
  
He turned to Claire who cringed under his steel glare. Then he looked at Mr. Martin. "Has the TOP done anything about the absence of a Minister of Magic in England?"  
  
"We sent a letter the other day." Martin said bitterly. He hated Sir with a passion.  
  
"Go and work on that."  
  
"Yes Sir." Martin snapped and left, muttering to himself.  
  
"Miss Clavell?"  
  
"Oui Monsieur?" She asked, looking at him.  
  
"Go and tell Miss Walitza I'll be absent for a few days."  
  
"Oui." Claire said and ran off.  
  
Sir turned back to Sirius. "We won't hurt the boy. All we want is the Stone." He assured him before leaving.  
  
Knowing that since that Stone held Ron's life force, Harry would probably rather die then give it up. Swearing even more, Sirius grabbed his cloak and ran down the halls.  
  
***  
  
HAAAAARRRRRYYY!  
  
Harry woke with a start as a huge dog bounded into Ron's room.  
  
"Sirius?!" Harry demanded and looked at the clock. "its two in the morning you better have a good reason for-"  
  
The Stone?! Where is it?! Sirius demanded, tongue hanging out far.  
  
"Right here." Harry pulled the Stone out from in between the mattresses.  
  
Give me that. Sirius clamped his whole dog mouth on Harry's whole hand.  
  
"Sirius what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Harry demanded, trying to tug his hand out from Sirius's mouth but he kept his mouth clamped shut.  
  
Whatever you do, do not mention the Stone. Sirius said. He let go and ran into Ron's closet, with the Stone in his mouth.  
  
Harry was wiping the slobber off his hand when a wizard suddenly appeared in Ron's bedroom. Harry nearly screamed at the sudden sight of the fearful man. He was tallish with steel gray hair that hung around his hawkish face. His steel gray eyes pierced at Harry in the darkness. Harry couldn't tell how tall he really was, for he was hunched over. He was very thin and bony and he wore a steel gray suit. He held a wand his a bony, hawk-like hand.  
  
Harry felt himself trembling slightly at this incredibly fearful man.  
  
'Hello Harry, I've been wanting to meet you for a while."  
  
"Are you a servant of Voldemort?" Harry demanded.  
  
The hawk-like man laughed, a laugh that sounded like metal striking metal or something. "Oh no, Harry. Certainly not. I am most definitely AGAINST Voldemort." With this he took a step forward. "and because of this, I shall need the Stone of Power, Harry."  
  
"The Stone of Power?" Harry asked, feeling bewildered. "I-I-I've never heard of such a thing."  
  
"Oh come now. Sirius Black told me everything."  
  
"Sirius?!" Harry asked, trying not to let his eyes go towards the closet.  
  
"Yes. We're all on the same terms. Against Voldemort." The man reached a hand out towards Harry. It reminded him a lot of the Dementor's hand. "so give me the Stone."  
  
"I don't have it."  
  
"Sirius said you wrote to him and told him you had it. Were you lying to him?" The man asked.  
  
"Y. . . yes." Harry said, feeling a sense of bravery inside him that made him straighten up.  
  
"Now why would you do a thing like that?"  
  
"Because I wanted him to come visit. I haven't seen him for a while. . . I wanted to see him. I-I thought by saying I had the Stone he would. . . come." Harry said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. The man scowled deeply. "Damn it." He looked back at Harry. "thank you, though, for cooperating. If you actually DO get the Stone. be sure and tell your godfather." And with that, the man Disapparated. Harry ran over to the closet and saw Sirius had returned to human form. He had the Stone clutched tightly in his hand and he was quite pale. "Atta boy, Harry." Sirius said, walking out into the room.  
  
"Who the hell was that?" Harry demanded.  
  
"I don't know his real name. Nobody does. Everyone just knows him as 'HIM' or. Sir." Sirius said, looking down at the Stone of Power.  
  
"Is he a servant of-"  
  
"Never. Sir wants Voldemort dead as much as you or me." Sirius cut in quickly. "mind if I sit down? I was doing a running Apparation. got me a bit out of breath." Sirius flopped onto Harry's bed. He lay there motionless, for so long a time that Harry wondered if he swooned or fallen asleep. Sirius suddenly sat up. "Ah, feel much better. Come. Sit with me." Sirius patted the bedspread and Harry sat down. "Sir. well, he is against Voldemort and wants him dead as I already mentioned. But. he's like Crouch. Power-hungry and doesn't care what happens so long as he climbed higher in the Organization he works for." Sirius sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "the way he is thinking right now. is get the Stone and destroy it, so Voldemort can't use it."  
  
"But." Harry sputtered out and stared at the innocent-looking blue stone in Sirius's hand. "Ron is in there. I MUST get him out."  
  
"I know. I am going to try and prevent Sir from finding out you really do have the Stone with you. Harry you need to figure this out as soon as you can. . . Sir he. he knew you had it, or thought you did, because had used the Truth curse on me."  
  
Harry rubbed his chest, knowing how painful that was. "How did he know about the letter?"  
  
"I have no clue. speaking of which. Harry I told you NOT to write me!"  
  
"Sirius, you told me not to write you back. I didn't write BACK to you. I just. wrote to you." Harry said.  
  
Sirius was silent a moment then he began laughing. "Oh my God Harry. you sounded EXACTLY like Remus just then. that was his trouble-making talent, you know. Finding a loop-hole, even the most microscopic one, and breaking through it." Sirius shook his head. "I remember he got us out of detention once. . . we were flying over the Forbidden Forest and flew down into it. Well, a teacher found us and gave us points off plus detention for going into the Forbidden Forest. Remus pointed out that we didn't go INTO the Forest, we had gone DOWN to. Nevertheless they quickly changed the rules to 'students aren't permitted into the forest' or whatever."  
  
Harry laughed then realized how loud they were being. And realized they were still in the Burrow, and it was now almost half past two in the morn. Sirius realized this, too because he handed the Stone back to Harry. "I gotta go. Remember what I said."  
  
"What, that Remus can get out of almost anything?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well. . . I meant."  
  
"I know, I know. I'll try and find anything about this Stone. bye Sirius."  
  
"Bye Harry." Sirius turned to leave then turned back. "Oh, and Harry?'  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do not, under any circumstances, write to me until I have written to you."  
  
"Okay, Sirius." Harry said and watched him Disapparate. Climbing back into bed, Harry quickly fell asleep, forgetting completely it was July 31st, and that he was now sixteen.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
Sir burst through the front door of my rooms. I causally looked up from where I was reading the newspaper in a chair. I was out of breath from doing the near-impossible: running Apparation. But concealed my breathlessness. "Hullo, Sir." I said.  
  
"You went to Harry and told him not to say anything, didn't you?!" He shrieked.  
  
"Yeah I did. I beat one of the world's fastest Apparaters, and managed to tell Harry that in time." I said with a look of sneering on my face.  
  
Sir fell silent. "You're right. I had. I'm sorry, I had no right to accuse you. You couldn't possibly of done that and beaten me there."  
  
I fought back the urge to yell triumphantly in his face and smiled. "I did do that, Sir."  
  
"Mr. Black, stop joking." He said wearily.  
  
"But I did do it! Honestly I did!" I insisted, knowing how Sir's mind worked.  
  
"GoodNIGHT, Mr. Black." And Sir left.  
  
I sat back in my chair and grinned to myself. I was mildly surprised I had gotten away with that. I wasn't the best at doing that.  
  
But the best.. . .  
  
I looked over at a photo taped to my mirror. It was unmoving and showed me, Remus and James. All grinning. I walked over and stared hard into James' grinning, face. His expression was clearly 'I'm about to do something that has a seventy percent chance of me getting expelled but do I care? HA!'. (Or at least that's what another kid in our gang had dubbed that expression on James's face).  
  
"But the best is now dead." I said and returned to my chair.  
  
***  
  
"Harry!!!" Jasmine's voice echoed out through the airport as she dropped her backpack and flung herself into the arms of her brother.  
  
"Jasmine!" Harry said, hugging her tightly.  
  
A scowling Draco appeared, arms folded and obviously not very happy. "I am never, ever, in my entire life going on another plane as long as I live."  
  
"Hullo M. . . Draco." Harry said, still hugging Jasmine.  
  
Draco looked surprised that Harry said his first name. "Hello Potter."  
  
"Draco." Jasmine snapped.  
  
Draco scrunched his face up. "Harry." He spat out like it was a disgusting piece of candy.  
  
"Good boy." Jasmine giggled and turned towards Arthur. "Hi Mr. Weasley."  
  
"Hello Jasmine." He said and glared at Draco who glared right back. "Mr. Malfoy." He said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Mr. Weasley." Draco said, nodding but his eyes were filled with hatred.  
  
The Weasleys and the Malfoys hated each other with passion. Each usually wanted to kill the other. "We better go find our luggage before it ends up on Jupiter or something." Jasmine said. She and Draco got their luggage and followed Harry and Mr. Weasley to the Weasleys' green van.  
  
Harry was itching to tell Jasmine everything. but he didn't want to say anything in front of Malfoy.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
We dropped Malfoy off at the Leaky Cauldron (I scowled as he and Jasmine kissed goodbye) and then we finally arrived at the Burrow.  
  
Ginny took Jasmine to her room to help her get settled, and I went back to Ron's room  
  
When I went in, I saw a 14 inch, lightish brown owl with contrasting spots was fluttering outside the window. I knew it was Remus's owl. He had gotten it near the beginning of that summer and that certain type of owl, because he liked the name. The owl was a boobook owl from New Zealand. I went over and opened the window. Nova flew in and stuck her leg out. Hedwig was hooting happily. She and Nova had become good friends.  
  
Nova flew over to Hedwig after I untied the letter. I fell back on my bed and read the it.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
By the time you get this letter Jasmine will be back so tell her I said hi. I have a question. Have you heard from Sirius? I haven't gotten ANYTHING from him and haven't seen him since that time at Hogwarts. Anyway, if you hear from him please tell me. I have something I really need to tell him. Have you remembered where the Stone is yet? I found a book on it. and it's amazing. I mean, the Stone of Power is one of the most magical objects in the world. it can save someone from death. Not like the Philosopher/Sorcerer's stone.  
  
Anyway, write me back and tell Jasmine to write me.  
  
Remus  
  
I read the letter a couple times then sat at Ron's desk and begun a letter back.  
  
Dear Remus,  
  
I've heard from Sirius. He seems all right. I saw him a few days ago.  
  
I stopped at this and pondered over whether or not to tell Remus everything and finally I decided to. I told Remus about 'Sir' and Sirius showing up in the middle of the night. and finally I wrote that he had the Stone with me.  
  
And Remus, if you have read how to get a life force out of the Stone, write me. I have a strong feeling that Ron is in the Stone.  
  
Harry  
  
I folded the letter, tied it to Nova's leg and sent her on her way then I sat back on my bed, hoping Remus would know how to free Ron.  
  
*** (Remus's point of view)  
  
I poured through the book desperately trying to find out to free life forces in the Stone. It was way past midnight but I wasn't a bit tired. That was one good thing about being a Werewolf. When I was in human form I could easily stay up for 24 hours before actually feeling tired. If I wanted.  
  
The huge, huge leather-bound book in front of me was titled 'Enchantment in Baking'. Someone had charmed the book about the Stone to look like an old worn copy of the cookbook. If it wasn't for my horrible cooking ability, I would of never found it.  
  
Swearing loudly as I finished yet another chapter with no luck, I went into the kitchen to make myself some tea. Outside my little window above my stove, I could see the sickle moon. The tree outside my window swayed in some wind and a branch tapped against the window.  
  
Pouring a large cup of tea, I returned to my study. I pulled the light low over the book and read until there was a tapping at my door. Jumping slightly, I reminded myself it was just a tree.  
  
I hated the trees in the wind in the middle of the nights. I also hated lying to Harry but I needed to. I knew perfectly well where Sirius was. But. I had to.  
  
Knock, knock, knock.  
  
That sure as hell wasn't a tree. I set my teacup down, grabbed my wand and went to the door.  
  
Knock, knock, knock.  
  
I looked out the front window but saw nothing. But someone was knocking. Gripping my wand tight, I flung open the door to see absolutely nobody there. "You're beginning to hear things, Moony." I told myself and shut the door. Or would of. The door stopped as if someone had stuck an invisible foot in the thresh. "Okay whoever you are, take off that cloak or spell and face me like a man!" I snapped.  
  
"But neither of us is a man, my dear werewolf." Came that familiar, haunting voice.  
  
My eyes got wide. "Ember?" I asked in shock.  
  
"I'm flattered you remember my nickname. Now are you going to invite me in or are you going to leave your door open to let creepies in?"  
  
"Oh." I opened the door and the invisible person passed. I shut the door and looked around. "take that cloak off, Ember."  
  
"I. er, can't. Its not my cloak. Its a potion gone wrong." Ember's voice floated from somewhere in front of me.  
  
"You were never good in Potions." I said and went to the living room.  
  
"I'm not the one who blew the teacher's cauldron up." Ember laughed from a couch as she sat down.  
  
I grinned sheepishly, staring at where my couch sunk in. "Hey, it was an accident and not entirely my fault. Prongs did have his hand. or rather whole arm. in it."  
  
Ember laughed. "Yeah."  
  
"Ember why are you here? I thought you left after everything happened." I said, offering a cup of tea to her.  
  
"Oh heaven forbid I drink tea YOU made, Moony." Ember said.  
  
"I'm getting better."  
  
"Better my foot, you can't book worth beans."  
  
"Hmm." I said, rubbing my chin. "worth beans? Never tried it. I've tried navy beans before, though. Now then. Why are you here? Don't tell me you came all the way from Romania to insult my cooking talent."  
  
"I came because of Pad-er, because of Black." She said, fighting the urge to say 'Padfoot'.  
  
"He'll be touched." I said.  
  
"Moony. I should of returned when he escaped but I was too scared but now. I think we should get our revenge for what he has done."  
  
"And what exactly has he done?" I said through clenched teeth.  
  
"He betrayed us. Got Prongs and Wildflower dead and then killed Wormtail." I raised my eyebrows at the name 'Wildflower' since I had not heard Lily's nickname for so long. "he destroyed us all."  
  
As much as I loved Ember, I wanted to slap her. But I reminded myself I had done that too. Actually believing Sirius had done all that. "Oh you're right we need to find Black and kill him." I said in what I hoped was a convincing voice. I was just glad this was Ember and not Sapphire.  
  
I could tell Ember was staring hard at me. ". does Harry know?"  
  
"About what?" I asked.  
  
"Everything."  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Good."  
  
I felt my nails digging into my palms. I knew I had to convince Ember that Sirius was completely innocent. I had to do this. "He knows the complete truth."  
  
"That's good." Ember said.  
  
"The truth which barely anyone knows." I continued.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ember asked.  
  
"The real truth. Not the 'truth' that everyone thinks they know."  
  
"Moony you're nutters." Ember said.  
  
"Ember, there is more to the story then you realize. I didn't even know about this until less then three years ago."  
  
"Know what?" Ember demanded.  
  
"Ember, I won't tell you until I can see you. Let's get working on a potion that will return you to normal."  
  
"I was never normal, Moony."  
  
I had to laugh at this. "None of us were, Ember."  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
I stood in front of my fireplace nervously. The fire blazed. I threw a handful of Floo powder in and cleared my throat.  
  
"Moony's Den." I said and stepped through. Remus had written an urgent letter saying I needed to come to his house as soon as I could.  
  
I fell forward on his stone hearth, feeling dizzy. Slowly I stood up and looked around the room, coughing. It was just as I left it a few months ago. "You need a housekeeper, Moony." I said, seeing the werewolf standing close to the fireplace.  
  
"You're messier then I am." Remus pointed, helping me up.  
  
"So what was so urgent?" I asked.  
  
"Couple of nights ago I had a visit from an old friend." Remus said.  
  
"An old friend?" I asked.  
  
"Come on in!" He called. The door to the other room opened and I nearly gasped.  
  
"Ember." I said.  
  
"You!" She shrieked and dove for me. Remus caught her and held her by the waist. "Put me down, Moony! Its him! Its him!" She shrieked, hitting and kicking Remus.  
  
"I know perfectly well its him now calm down!" Remus snapped. He set her in a chair like a large doll, and pointed his wand at her. "now then. Don't do anything till you've heard everything."  
  
Ember's slanted green eyes darted from him to me. "I'm waiting." She finally said.  
  
"I'm innocent." I said and she snorted.  
  
"He is innocent, Ember." Remus said.  
  
"You were their Secret Keeper." She spat out.  
  
"I WAS to be their Secret Keeper but I knew that's what Voldemort was expecting. and like the total idiot I am, I demanded a switch."  
  
"You mean. you weren't the Secret Keeper?" Ember asked.  
  
"No. Wormtail was. I should of known he was the traitor but. I was young and stupid and thick."  
  
"Wormtail betrayed us." Ember whispered.  
  
"Yeah. And after I realized it. it was too late. I tracked Wormtail down-"  
  
"And killed him." Ember said.  
  
"The --- is still alive." I sneered.  
  
"Sirius tried to attack Wormtail, but for once Peter was faster. He blew the street apart, killed twelve Muggles, cut off his finger, turned into his ratty self and disappeared." Remus said.  
  
"He hid as a house pet for a family for a while but. when I escaped I wanted to get my revenge. I did track him down but the little worm escaped."  
  
"Its my fault he escaped." Remus said, shaking his head.  
  
"No its not." I snapped.  
  
"It is so! If I hadn't of turned into a werewolf-"  
  
"Which is NOT your fault!" I yelled. Remus fell silent. "Wormtail returned to Voldemort, helped him regain his power. and now we have him."  
  
"We? Who's we?" She said and her eyes got wide. "Oh. Them."  
  
"Yes." I said.  
  
"He's awaiting trial." Remus said, flicking back some gray hair.  
  
"Padfoot." Ember's eyes filled with tears. She leapt at me and hugged me tightly. "I am so sorry I ever doubted you."  
  
"Its okay, Ember." I assured her, hugging her tightly. She looked up, her green eyes shimmering with tears.  
  
"Can I see that stinking piece of trash once more? I want to give him a piece of my mind."  
  
I had a feeling Ember's piece of mind to Wormtail would consist of mostly swear words. "I'll ask Mr. Yallin." I said and checked my watch. "now I gotta go." I kissed Ember's forehead and took a step back. "it was great seeing you again, Ember."  
  
"Right back atcha Padfoot." She said with a smile.  
  
"Bye Moony."  
  
"See ya." Remus said.  
  
"And you better get a housekeeper by the time I come back here." I said and turned to the fire and went through.  
  
***  
  
Harry's face shone with happiness as he received a letter from Remus.  
  
Harry, after countless hours of searching I think I may of discovered how to release the spirit. Remus. 


	3. Breaking The Bind

CHAPTER THREE- Breaking the Bind (Harry's point of view)  
  
I glanced in the living room and saw Molly tidying up, glancing up at the clock. There had been nine hands indicating each family member, but since Ron's death, the eighth hand had disappeared.  
  
"Hey Molly." I went into the living room.  
  
"Yes, Harry dear?" She asked.  
  
"Remus wants to know if Jasmine and I can come visit him and Sirius for a few days." I said.  
  
"Okay." She said.  
  
"All right, great." I mumbled and headed up to Ron's room, feeling the Stone in my pocket. I couldn't tell Molly the real reason we were going to Remus's. I didn't want her to get her hopes up and then it not working. no, it was better if Ron just came back alive and then we'd tell the Weasleys what had happened.  
  
Jasmine and I weren't the only ones going to Remus's. Since Hermione was coming home that day, she was invited to come help (since she was so clever). Jasmine and I were to meet her on the Knight Bus. I went to Ron's room and sat on my bed, holding the Stone.  
  
Soon.  
  
***  
  
"Think we should write to Peggy? She was upset over Ron." Jasmine said as the Knight Bus dropped us off by some trees. I spotted an opening nearby, with a path, so we walked to it.  
  
"I don't know. I mean, I don't know if we can trust. if we can. if." I lost my train of thought as we arrived at the bottom of the path.  
  
We kind of stood there, staring at Remus's house. Hermione dropped her duffel bag. "Well." She finally said. "that is NOT what I expected from Remus."  
  
"None of us expected it." Jasmine mumbled.  
  
Remus's house was set on the top of a small hill. Thick woods surrounded the it and a winding, dirt path went up to the front steps. It wasn't a big nor steep hill. The path ended at wooden steps, going up to a small wooden platform in front of the door. There were wooden handrails as well. There were two trees on either side of the door. Trees unlike any I had ever seen before. Since it was mid-August, they were completely leaved. But their leaves were not green. They were. electric blue. Black vines wrapped up the trunks of the tree. Behind his house, I could see a large lake, and a long wooden dock. Remus's actual house was a four-story tall log cabin. It looked nice and very comfortable. Whereas we were expecting something more. whacky.  
  
"Hi guys!" The front door flew open and Remus stood there. I blinked, shocked that it was actually Remus. He was not wearing robes. He was wearing jeans and a loose, button-up gray shirt. "well are you going to stand there gawking, or are you going to come in?"  
  
We picked up our stuff and slowly climbed up the path and went into his cabin. The door opened into a hall. On one side was a large doorway that took up most the wall, with no door. On the right side were three doors and across from the front door were steps. There was a bunch of framed photos along the wall with the doors. Most of them were of his school-days and a great deal of them held Sirius and my father as well as Wormtail, my mother, and a couple other people I didn't recognize.  
  
Remus took us into the living room. It was huge and comfortable. The part around the fireplace was sunk into the floor and held two large sofas and three comfortable armchairs, a small table and a long coffee table.  
  
In one of the chairs sat Sirius. He looked extremely healthy and happy. He was also soaking wet. "Hiya guys." He said cheerfully.  
  
"Sirius you're. wet." I said.  
  
"Yeah well SOMEBODY shoved me into the lake." Sirius said, looking hard at Remus.  
  
"Well if YOU hadn't of made my sandwich I was eating explode, I might not of done it."  
  
"You deserved to eat an exploding sandwich."  
  
"And you deserved to be pushed into the lake."  
  
"Shut up wolf-head."  
  
"Whatever dog-breath."  
  
I couldn't help but grin, feeling happy. There had only been one other time I felt happy since Ron's death, and that was finding out I had a chance to bring him back.  
  
"Why don't you both shut the hell up and introduce me?" A woman appeared through a door in the living room.  
  
"We're getting to it." Both men snapped.  
  
I looked at the woman and stared at her in amazement. She was. extremely odd looking. She was quite small.  
  
This is line 666 according to my computer. It is an evil line so I am not writing anything... D'oh!  
  
She was quite small. probably just barely taller then Flitwick, with blazing red hair that went stuck straight up in the air. If it was down it would of ended at her shoulders but no, it stuck up and came to a slight point. She had a pointy face, pointy ears, slanted green eyes and was quite tan. She was extremely skinny and her limbs stuck out, making her look very bizarre and like the Muggle image of elves (tiny and pointy).  
  
I looked back and saw she was in a few of the photos Remus had hanging up in the front hall. "Harry this is Emerin Elm." Sirius said.  
  
"One of the members of your father's gang." Remus said.  
  
"A-HEM!" Sirius demanded.  
  
"Your father and Sirius's gang." Remus corrected. "better?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Harry!" Emerin Elm walked across the room and hugged me. For someone so tiny and thin, she sure was strong. "I haven't seen you since you were in diapers (Hermione giggled at this and I went red). And is this Jasmine?" She asked, turning to my sister.  
  
"Yes ma'am." Jasmine said.  
  
Emerin stepped back and looked at us, shaking her head. "God you two look exactly like your parents. Its freaky."  
  
"You're freaky."  
  
"Oh can it, Moony."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"I will."  
  
It took all my might not to laugh. "So you were part of the gang, too?" I asked.  
  
"Yep," Emerin said. "my nickname was Ember."  
  
"How come you two haven't mentioned her before?" I asked.  
  
"Well, after your parents were killed and I went to Azkaban." Sirius trailed off. "Emerin left to Romania."  
  
"The whole gang broke up. Everyone lost in touch with everyone else." Remus said.  
  
"Not one of us were still in contact with another. We just wanted to forget everyone." Emerin said, shaking her head.  
  
"How many members of the gang were there?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Look for yourself." Remus pointed to a huge framed photo above his mantelpiece.  
  
It was taken outside, near the lake at Hogwarts. In the middle were Sirius and my dad. On the other side of my dad was my mother with my dad's arm around her waist. On the other side of Sirius was Remus holding up a sign that had a picture of a screw and 2 baseballs, and an arrow pointing to Sirius and my dad. Beside him was a strange wizard. Beside HIM was Pettigrew. On the other side of my mother was Emerin. And beside Emerin was a strange witch and beside her was another strange witch. I knew it had been taken in their Seventh year due to the 'Head Boy' badge on my dad's robes and 'Head Girl' badge on my mothers.  
  
"Sapphire, Pixie and Mac, which was short for Macadamia. Which in turn was short for Macadamia Nut." Sirius explained.  
  
"God those were the days. Blissfully unaware." Emerin said.  
  
"I have no idea where Sapphire, Pixie and Mac are." Remus said with a shrug. "None of us do."  
  
"Remus was the only one to stay here in England." Emerin said.  
  
"I just wish I knew where they went. . ." Sirius said, staring up into the photo. Or rather, at the witch with the nickname 'Pixie'.  
  
"How come I get the feeling Sirius liked her?" Jasmine whispered in my ear.  
  
"Shh." I said.  
  
"Anyway, I'll show you to your rooms and you can start unpacking." Remus said cheerfully.  
  
"Oh God don't leave me here with Ember!" Sirius mock begged.  
  
Emerin cackled an evil cackle. "I'll get you my pretty. . . and your little dog, too!" "Hey. I am my own dog!" Sirius said and we all burst into laughter.  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
"Thank you Hermione."  
  
"Yeah, thanks."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione."  
  
Everyone was thanking me as they ate their dinner. There had been a very large argument over who'd cook it.  
  
"No way are you cooking it, Moony, you'll end up making a huge mess!" Emerin shrieked.  
  
"No way are we letting YOU cook, Ember, you'll probably slip in a potion that'll turn us all to ducks." Remus snapped back.  
  
"Guys, guys, guys. I'll cook." Sirius said. Remus and Emerin were silent a moment then both yelled,  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Why NOT?!" Sirius demanded rather bitterly.  
  
"I am NOT going to have my house burned down!" Remus said.  
  
After they argued for what must of been a quarter of an hour, I finally cut in and said since I've cooked dinner at my house before, I'd cook dinner.  
  
After everyone finished, and Remus sent his dishes to clean themselves in the sink, we all went out back. There was a large patio with some patio furniture, a stretch of grass then it was the lake. We sat around the large, round crystal-clear table and Harry set the Stone in the middle.  
  
We all leaned in and stared at the Stone, then all, as if on command, looked at Remus. "Oh yeah." He ran inside and brought a huge book out. "its says its difficult to break the spell binding the spirit into the Stone, but it can be done." He said, hefting the book onto the table. "okay it says for the best witch or wizard you can get, to say the words with his or her wand touching the stone. The others must point their wands at the Stone and chant this saying over and over. It has to be done at sun down."  
  
"Okay, who's the best witch or wizard?" Everyone looked at me and Jasmine.  
  
"Hermione can do it. She's better then I am." Jasmine said.  
  
"Okay, here." Remus dropped the book in my lap. Almost immediately my legs started going numb under the weight.  
  
"Everyone got their wands?" I asked nervously.  
  
"Yep." Everyone pulled out their wands and pointed at the Stone.  
  
"Sun going down." Emerin said, staring across the lake. The sun was dipping into the distant hills.  
  
"Okay, you ready guys?" I asked nervously, praying this would work. If it didn't, Harry was probably going to sink into an even worse pit of depression and starve himself or something.  
  
"Ready." Everyone said.  
  
I looked down at the book, put the tip of my wand against the stone and cleared my throat.  
  
"Stone of Power hear our plea, let the spirit you hold free." The others began chanting after I told what to say.  
  
"There is a life force safe and sound, deep within you, trapped spell- bound." I began.  
  
My wand began glowing brightly, and the others wands were glowing a bit duller then my own.  
  
"Bleak black death you have saved, a new chance of life for this spirit paved."  
  
With this the book began glowing and I began to get extremely nervous but cleared my throat and continued.  
  
"When the sun goes down let the spirit rise, bring it alive as the day dies."  
  
"Stone of Power hear our plea, let the spirit you hold free." The others continued chanting.  
  
Black clouds began swirling overhead and I begun to feel weak but I continued. There were only two more lines for me to say anyway.  
  
"The sky grows dark as it comes to night. For the spirit's life we shall fight.  
  
Binding spell oh please let go, let the life from you flow!"  
  
Then I began the chanting with the others. "Stone of Power hear our plea, let the spirit you hold free. Stone of Power hear our plea, let the spirit you hold free."  
  
Just then there was a terrible crack of lightning, and a great gust of wind, causing the books pages to flip forward rapidly. The sun had completely gone down now and it was blacker then normal since the sky was with black clouds.  
  
"Stone of Power hear our plea, let the spirit you hold free. Stone of Power hear our plea, let the spirit you hold free!"  
  
There was a burst of brilliant light from the Stone which cause our chairs to fall back. We all crashed to the ground and stared at the Stone. It was glowing a brilliant blue with silver mist surrounding it. The Stone rose into the air and suddenly broke apart into four parts. It looked like a shell. In the middle of the four blue curves was a white glowing thing. The glowing thing got bigger and bigger until suddenly there was a flash of light that blinded us all.  
  
As I covered my eyes, I heard a loud crash and the wind stopped. I could breath normally now. I slowly opened my eyes, rubbing the back of my head which pounded from where I had hit the stone patio. My eyes got wide as I saw what had made the crashing noise, and I screamed.  
  
Remus's table was broken and lying amidst the rubble was Ron.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
Somebody screamed, a girl. followed by another girl's scream. Opening my eyes, I squinted in the dusky darkness of early night.  
  
I was laying in a pile of rubble and six people surrounded me. They all stared at me in amazement.  
  
I blinked and tried remembering something. Anything. I couldn't remember anything.  
  
I must of lost my memory. I didn't know what I was doing here, I didn't recognize any of the people and I didn't even know who I was.  
  
"Ron!" One of the boys suddenly yelled.  
  
Ron?  
  
Was that my name?  
  
"Ron!" He shouted again, and hugged me tightly.  
  
Yes.  
  
My name was Ron.  
  
I remembered that now. Ronald.  
  
But Ronald what?  
  
"Uh, yeah." I said, prying his arms off. The face looked so familiar. bright green eyes stared at me from behind thick-rimmed glasses. He had incredibly messy black hair, and a scar on his forehead.  
  
A name came to my mind.  
  
"Eugene?" I asked.  
  
One of the girls snorted and the guy in front of me frowned slightly. "Harry."  
  
"Oh." I said and began rubbing my pounding head. "where am I?"  
  
"My patio." Said a man with light brown hair which had gray in it.  
  
I suddenly remembered he was a Professor.  
  
An image sprang to mind of a werewolf.  
  
"Professor Werewolf?"  
  
"Remus Lupin." He said.  
  
"Why can't he remember anything?" Harry asked nervously.  
  
"Must be a side affect of death." A woman with blazing red hair said.  
  
Red hair.  
  
I had red hair.  
  
Images came to my mind. 5 boys began swarming in my mind.  
  
A tall red-headed guy with his red hair pulled back in a pony-tail, a snake fang earring and cool clothes.  
  
A stocky but muscular red-headed guy with burn marks and blisters all over him.  
  
A stern-looking red-headed guy with horn-rimmed glasses.  
  
Two identical red-headed guys with an air of mischief surrounding them.  
  
Then words and names began filling my head at a rapid rate and caused my head to hurt.  
  
Burrow  
  
Pigwidgeon  
  
Scar  
  
You-Know-Who  
  
Books  
  
Castles  
  
Dumbledore  
  
O.W.Ls  
  
Sirius  
  
Then images began flashing through my mind, making it hurt even more.  
  
A great scarlet steam engine puffing smoke over a crowd.  
  
A large ice cream parlor.  
  
A crowded bookstore.  
  
A huge, amazing looking castle.  
  
A man with greasy hair and a big nose.  
  
A giant spider.  
  
A huge, huge snake skin.  
  
A gitty-looking git with a pearly smile and big ego.  
  
A giant chess set.  
  
A big room decorated in scarlet and gold.  
  
A huge field and people racing about in the air on brooms.  
  
An office with a tall, thin, red-headed man sitting at the desk, talking to me.  
  
Dad.  
  
That was my dad.  
  
A plump, red-headed woman appeared in my mind.  
  
My mother.  
  
My parents... . .  
  
"Where's my parents?" I asked, coming back to reality.  
  
"Back at the Burrow." Harry said.  
  
I looked up into the night sky then back down. "What happened? Why am I here?" I asked.  
  
"Ron you were killed." A bushy-haired girl said.  
  
"I was what?"  
  
"Killed. You pushed me out of the way of the Death curse. But your life force. . . your essence was trapped into the Stone and we just freed you." Harry explained.  
  
"I think we better take him inside and try to restore his memory." A man with longish black hair suggested.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
Ron stared down into his large cup of cocoa, looking incredibly bewildered and confused. His memory was pretty bad. Hermione and I had just spent over an hour telling him of our adventures together.  
  
"I did that?!" He demanded when we got to the giant chess set. "Ah yes, I remember now. spiders are my biggest fear." He said as we got to Aragog. "Yes, yes I remember that now. . . Scabbers." He mumbled when we got to the meeting in the Shrieking Shack. Finally, we finished.  
  
Ron sat there a moment then took a sip of hot cocoa. "I remember most the stuff now. its all pretty muddled together but I think I. yeah." He said slowly. When he set his cup of cocoa down, he missed the table entirely and it spilled over the rug. "oh I'm sorry, Remus" He said, dropping to his knees to clean it.  
  
"Its okay, Ron." Remus said as I pulled Ron back onto the couch.  
  
"I have a feeling there's more then just loss of memory as a side affect of dying." Emerin said, cleaning the spilt cocoa.  
  
"Wait, let me check the book." Remus ran outside and returned with the book and the Stone. He opened the book and flipped through. "ah, here.  
  
After being released from the Stone, the now-alive witch or wizard will find themselves subject to strange behavior, which is a side-affect of being trapped by the Stone. They will suffer from the following:  
  
Memory Loss (which will now and then occur through the rest of his or her life)  
  
Clumsiness  
  
Dizziness  
  
Loss of Appetite  
  
Pains through the body  
  
Strong Moods Swings (Especially Sadness, and Love)  
  
Insomnia  
  
Fainting Spells  
  
Listlessness  
  
Increase in Studious Behavior  
  
Impatience  
  
Most of these will eventually go away, except for the memory loss, but sometimes they'll reoccur later. Other side affects may include an increase in magical power." Remus finished reading.  
  
"Looks like I'm. . .. I'm. . ." Ron trailed off and frowned.  
  
"You're what?" Hermione asked gently.  
  
"I forget what I was going to say." He took the cup of cocoa that Emerin had retrieved for him while Remus read from the book. He gripped it with two hands, firmly. "If I'm going to be all clumsy then I better hold tight." He said with a slight laugh.  
  
"So you remember everything now?"  
  
"There are patches here and there but I'm sure I'll be fine." He sipped his cocoa then frowned again, "okay in my memory. . . Penny appeared in the cave."  
  
"Peggy." I corrected.  
  
"Right. was that her?"  
  
"Well. . . we're pretty sure it was, but she denied it." Hermione explained.  
  
". . . she who?" Ron asked.  
  
"Peggy."  
  
"Oh yeah yeah yeah." He took another sip and looked at me. "do my parents know about this?"  
  
"No." I admitted. "I didn't want to get their hopes-"  
  
"Harry!" Hermione suddenly said.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"The clock! The one that shows where the Weasleys are! You think Ron's hand might of appeared?"  
  
"It might of. . . well, they might think its broken or something." Jasmine said.  
  
"Until we get back." I added.  
  
"Which you'll be doing tomorrow." Remus said.  
  
"Why tomorrow?" I asked.  
  
"Because the day after tomorrow is a full moon." He answered with a smile.  
  
***  
  
Ron was sleeping in my room while I slept on the floor. I didn't mind. I was just incredibly happy to have him back. However the insomnia affect kicked in that very night and he began pacing in circles around my sleeping bag.  
  
I rolled over and peered up at him. "Ron?" I asked, stifling a yawn. He ignored me. "Ron." I said again. He stopped and looked down. "Oh sorry. I forgot for a moment that was my name."  
  
"I hope you don't have these memory losses in class. Especially Potions." I said, putting my glasses on and sitting up.  
  
"I read in the book that the first 24 hours are the worst, then it'll be less. uh. what was I saying?"  
  
"Never mind. What time is it?" I asked, stretching my legs out straight.  
  
"3:41am." He said.  
  
"Can't get to sleep?"  
  
"No, not tired."  
  
"Insomnia," I said with another yawn. "one of the affects."  
  
"Right." He mumbled and flopped onto the bed and promptly fell asleep.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
With an almighty 'bang' the Knight Bus stopped in front of a tall, leaning blue house that was threatening to fall over.  
  
We all climbed out and I stared hard at the house.  
  
Yes. . . this was my home. The Burrow.  
  
"Let's go." Harry said, and threw his arm out as I nearly tripped over nothing.  
  
"Thanks, Harry." I said.  
  
"No problem. . ." Harry mumbled. Jasmine and Harry gripped my arms (Hermione had gone home) and helped me to the front door. "get ready for an explosion of screams, fainting and shock." Harry reminded Jasmine and knocked on the door.  
  
"Coming Harry! Jasmine!" The voice belonged to my mother. I knew it. The door opened and I was staring straight (well, actually down) into the face that filled my childhood of love, warmth and safety. "We-" She stopped.  
  
She stared.  
  
She screamed.  
  
She fainted.  
  
"Molly!! Molly!!!!" I heard dad yelling as he ran into the front hall. "Molly. . ." He looked up and went white when he saw me. "I-the-what-the." He sputtered out, eyes wider then plates.  
  
"Arthur I can explain everything." Harry said, holding my arm up to prevent me from falling (I had just gotten a dizzy spell).  
  
Within a few minutes we were in my living room. My mother had been revived and she was staring at me with wide eyes. "How is this possible? Is it really you?" She whispered.  
  
"Yeah." I said faintly.  
  
Harry then told them everything. Some parts which I didn't know. Such as. "Wait a minute. The Stone was in my STOMACH?!" I demanded and put my hand on my belly.  
  
"It saved you." Harry said and continued. I had died but my life force had gone into the Stone. the Stone had somehow made its way out of my dead body's stomach (I wondered if my dead body was still buried at Hogwarts.). How Harry wrote to Sirius and Remus and how Remus found the book and how they had just brought me back to life. Harry finished and took a deep breath.  
  
My mother looked at me then threw her arms tightly around me. "My baby." She whispered.  
  
***  
  
When I went up to my room, my owl, Pig AKA Pigwidgeon, slammed into his cage wall until it fell on the floor, and opened. Pig then flew to me and wrapped his wings around me head and sat on top of my head the rest of the day.  
  
The rest of the morning (we had arrived back at the Burrow at about 5 in the morning) up until noon was a blur. The rest of my family had woken up and the story was retold three times. The reaction that shocked me the most was Percy.  
  
"Ron!" He shouted when Harry finished the story. He flung himself at me and hugged me even tighter then mum. "I am so sorry I've been so strict and mean and strict to you all these years."  
  
"Percy. . . I can't. . . breathe. . ." I somehow managed.  
  
Dad Apparated to Egypt and Romania to inform Bill and Charlie, and they both Apparated back home (taking a day off work) and the story was told twice more.  
  
Then since Sirius was mentioned, everyone (but mum since she knew the truth) wanted to know.  
  
So Sirius's truth came out.  
  
"I know it sounds too crazy to be true but it is." I said and since I had come back from the dead they believed me, after not believing Harry.  
  
Then a letter to Hogwarts had to be sent. "I can imagine it now," I said. "Dear Professor Dumbledore, I just thought you ought to know that Ron will be returned to school for he has risen from the dead. Yours sincerely, Arthur and Molly Weasley."  
  
Harry laughed at this. During lunch, Frederika and Georgette appeared and the story (leaving Sirius out) was told again. Then as soon as we finished Lee Jordan appeared and the story (without Sirius) was retold. Not long after lunch Grandma and Grandpa Weasley appeared and the story was told for about the millionth time (leaving Sirius out).  
  
My grandfather was just about the oddest person I knew. His flaming red hair stuck out on either side of his head, he had a long crooked nose, small, thin-rimmed spectacles, he was tall, scrawny and bony. He hobbled on a cane though I knew he did not need it. He could do back-flips that would make your head spin, but he pretended to be all hobbling. He used his cane for smacking everyone. In fact when they were there, Grandpa delivered fourteen whacks to dad, twelve to Bill, ten to Fred and George, six to Charlie, four to Percy and one to me 'Don't you die again!' he had said and smacked me over the head  
  
Not long after they left, Grandmother and Grandfather (Mum's parents) came. Halfway through the story, Dad's brother Charles, his wife Loretta, and their kids (nineteen year old Thomas, fourteen year old Emily, thirteen year old twins Annette and Arnold, and eleven year old Carol-Anne) came. Then more uncles and aunts and cousins came. Then Grandpa's parents came. Then Grandma Weasley's mother (her father was dead). Then Mum's two sets of grandparents. Then some of my parents cousins. And a gaggle of second cousins. Great-aunts, great-uncles, more and more cousins, more aunts, more uncles, more great-aunts, more great-uncles, some more cousins. and shockingly, even Mum's second cousin who was an accountant.  
  
Nonetheless I was extremely tired when it was time to go to bed and I fell asleep as soon as I hit my wonderful, wonderful bed. 


	4. Arthur's New Job

CHAPTER FOUR- Arthur's New Job  
  
The next morning I was the first one in the Burrow up. In the other bed, Harry was fast asleep. Pig had sometime in the middle of the night, let go of me and was fast asleep on my lap. I picked him up and put him in his cage, which I had set upright the previous day.  
  
I got a shower, got dressed and went downstairs. I began making myself some toast. As I was spreading marmalade on it, my mother came in.  
  
"Good morning baby." She said, hugging and kissing me.  
  
"Morning, mum." I said brightly.  
  
"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that." She said, running her fingers through my hair. "Ron. you need to. I think you need to cut your hair, its getting long."  
  
"I like it long, Mum." I said.  
  
"But-okay."  
  
"Hey! You're letting him have long hair yet you demand I cut mine?" Bill entered the room, stretching his arms out so high they threatened to hit the ceiling lamp.  
  
"Yes." She said and began cooking breakfast.  
  
Bill flopped into the seat next to me. "I can only stay for breakfast anyway. I gotta get to work. I only took yesterday off." He then realized he was still in boxers. Waving his wand, he was once more in his awesome rock-concert-like clothes, and dragon hide boots. "Jonathan says congratulations, by the way. He'd of come see you but Michael had the day off and our new helper hadn't arrived. So someone needed to stay."  
  
"New one?" Mum asked.  
  
Bill yawned again. "Yeah, Dales got himself fired. Was discovered breaking into a vault that he had put a spell-a spell- a speeeeeeeellllllll on himself when he used to do that." He said, yawning.  
  
"Oh my goodness." Mum said.  
  
Dad entered the room looking extremely tired. "Good morning son." He patted my head as he sat down.  
  
"No good morning for me?" Bill asked.  
  
"Oh, morning Bill." Dad added.  
  
"Good morning!" Percy strode into the room looking especially cheerful. "morning mum!" He kissed her cheek. "and dad!" He patted dad on the back. "and Ron." He said, patting my back.  
  
"Hello! I DO exist!" Bill snapped.  
  
"Oh, are you still here? I thought you left last night." Percy said, looking at Bill in surprise. "You ARE leaving today, aren't you?"  
  
"Bite me." Bill growled.  
  
"Bill!" Mum shouted.  
  
"Morning mum." Fred and George appeared. "Dad." They said and patted my back. "Ronniekins."  
  
"Okay that's it I'm leaving now. Like anyone would even notice I'm gone." Bill grumbled.  
  
"Ofcourse we'd notice." Mum said absent-mindedly as she stirred a pancake batter. Dad left to do something.  
  
"Notice what?" Charlie came into the room.  
  
"I'm gone." Bill said.  
  
"Oh, you're still here?" Charlie asked then leapt back as Bill took a swing at him. "I was joking, Bill I swear! Beside you don't want to engage me in a fight, I'm stronger." And with this, Charlie flexed his muscles. Bill, Percy and I all scowled. Charlie had the most muscles of the family, followed by Fred and George. Whereas we three were tall and skinny.  
  
"I know more curses." Bill said, holding his wand up. "Mum would you mind if I turned Charlie into a toad?"  
  
"Ofcourse I would." Mum snapped, now beating some eggs. Charlie stuck out his tongue. "I'll be right back." Mum said. As soon as mum left the room, Bill aimed his wand.  
  
"Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis!" And where Charlie had stood, there now sat a inch long frog. Pale green on his back and head, black stripes along his sides, and a white stripe along his upper lip. Smiling nastily to himself, Bill stuck Charlie-the-frog in his pocket.  
  
"Bill!" Percy roared.  
  
"Mum said I wasn't allowed to turn Charlie into a toad. I didn't. I turned him into a frog."  
  
"I am telling mum!" Percy leapt up but Bill shot out once again.  
  
"Homo Switchus Pseudotiton Ruber!" And Percy was now a 6 inch long, bright red salamander with black speckles. He turned to the twins and pointed his wand. " Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis. Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis." And Fred and George became the same type of frog as Charlie. Bill casually stuck Percy-the-salamander in another pocket, and the twins in a third, washed his hand and began eating breakfast.  
  
"You're not going to turn me into something, are you?" I asked.  
  
"Oh God no, Ron. 1. You're my favorite brother. 2. You're the only one who wouldn't rat me out and 3. I've always wanted to turn those four into amphibians."  
  
I laughed. "How can you remember all the scientific terms for the animals?" I asked.  
  
Bill snorted. "Nobody can. If you say 'Homo Switchus' and then think of what animal you want to turn the person into, a scientific name of a type of that animal comes out of your mouth. Except-" Bill paused and took a long swig of orange juice "except if you do know the scientific name of an animal you can do that."  
  
"Cool." I said.  
  
"You'll be learning about this stuff this year. I think. I mean, you didn't do your O.W.Ls."  
  
"Damn!" I swore, shaking my head. "What if I have to repeat the Fifth year?"  
  
"Looks like you'll find out now." Bill said as a barn owl flew through the open window.  
  
Indeed it was from Hogwarts. I opened it, and read it.  
  
Dear Mr. Ron Weasley,  
  
We have received the news that you are no longer dead. Included is a list of schoolbooks you'll need, as well as the books you'll need if you will be taking the Sixth year course of starting to train to be an Animagus. You are probably wondering if you'll have to repeat the Fifth year. The answer is no. You will be excused from the first two weeks of classes, so you can take your O.W.Ls. See you at Hogwarts!  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
I showed Bill the letter who grinned. "Cool. So, are you going to try to be an Animagus?"  
  
"I dunno. how hard is it?" I asked.  
  
"Hard. Really, really hard. No one in my class managed to transform themselves by the end of their Seventh year."  
  
"But you are an Animagus." I said.  
  
"I took the Ministry of Magic course a year after I graduated, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah." I said.  
  
"Did you know Percy dropped out of the class?"  
  
"He did? I didn't even know he was taking it!" I said.  
  
"Yep. Almost all the people who take the class quit. In fact, by the end of my Seventh year there were only three out of 15 left."  
  
"God." I said and looked at the squirming pocket which held Percy. "and Percy dropped out?'  
  
"Yep, too hard." Bill said with a nasty grin. "at least I endured through it!" He yelled rather loudly at the pocket and it stopped squirming.  
  
Just then Mum and Dad entered the room again. "Where is everyone?" Mum asked.  
  
"Left to work." Bill said. Mum went into the living room then returned.  
  
"Bill what did you do to them?! The clock says they are all here!" Mum said then saw his pockets squirming. "Empty your pockets this moment!"  
  
"Mum! I didn't do anyth-"  
  
"Empty your pockets this second!!!!!" Bill pulled the three frogs and salamander out. Mum puffed up quicker then one of those puffer fish. "ARE THOSE YOUR BROTHERS?!?!"  
  
"Yeah, so? Its a big improvement." Bill said.  
  
"TURN YOUR BROTHERS BACK TO NORMAL THIS INSTANT!"  
  
"None of them were normal to begin with." Bill grumbled as he tossed them on the ground.  
  
"Don't you dare injure them!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Bill continued muttering and began muttering things which, thank goodness, only I heard for if mum heard the words he was saying then I seriously doubted if he could sit for a week. Soon Charlie, Percy, Fred and George were back to their regular selves. No wait.. .Charlie still had black stripes down his side, and Percy had black speckles all over him. I had the feeling Bill left them on purpose.  
  
"I am going to KILL you!" Charlie screamed and lunged for Bill.  
  
"Ouch! You little-"  
  
"BILL! Stop swearing in front of your baby brother!"  
  
"I am NOT a baby!" I snapped.  
  
"I'm gonna kill you!" Charlie yelled.  
  
"I'm older, wiser, and better looking then you!"  
  
"Yeah well one out of three isn't that bad."  
  
My oldest brothers rolled on the ground, mum ignoring them as she finished breakfast.  
  
Soon Harry, Jasmine and Ginny came down. "Goodness are those two fighting again?" Ginny groaned as she gingerly stepped over them and sat down.  
  
"If you see those two doing anything else please inform me." Percy said. "What?!" He demanded as we snickered.  
  
"Percy you have something on your face." Fred giggled.  
  
"What? What is-BILL!" Percy screamed as he spotted his spots. "I do NOT have time for this! I HAVE to get into work soon!"  
  
"Then please leave." George muttered.  
  
"Hi everyo- why does Percy have speckles all over him?" Lee Jordan called from the open window.  
  
"Come on in, dear." Mum said and Lee entered the house.  
  
"Oh look, just in time for breakfast." Percy said. "again."  
  
"Percy you don't think that I somehow manage to time it perfectly well to arrive just as your mother is serving her succulent breakfasts?" Lee asked and everyone laughed.  
  
"You are welcome here for breakfast any day." Mum said.  
  
"He comes over here anyway, invited or not." Percy said.  
  
"Nice spots." Lee said.  
  
Percy's ears turned red and he ducked his head as he ate his breakfast.  
  
Bill and Charlie had finally stopped fighting and returned to the table. Bill got rid of Percy's spots (but not Charlie's stripes). Charlie went upstairs to get something, said a loud swear word towards Bill as he discovered his stripes.  
  
"It was good seeing you again, Harry and to meet you Jasmine and I thank you for bringing my favorite brother back to life." Percy, Fred and George scowled at this. The sound of Charlie's running feet thundered closer and closer. Bill hugged me. "Goodbye family, love you all!" and quickly Disapparated just before Charlie ran in.  
  
"Oh great, now I am going to get an ear full from my boss for being late." He said.  
  
"Why will you be late? If you Apparate now you won't be." Mum said.  
  
"I have to make a quick stop in Egypt and get rid of these stripes or I'll be the laughingstock of the R.D.I." He kissed Mum goodbye, and Disapparated.  
  
"How come you haven't left yet?" George asked Percy.  
  
"Er, I'm.. . well.. ."  
  
"I know why." Ginny giggled and Percy scowled at her.  
  
"Why is it?" Fred asked.  
  
"The new Minister of Magic is going to be chosen today. He'll receive his letter by eight this morning." Ginny said smirking.  
  
"Oh and Percy is expecting the letter is he?" George asked with a smirk.  
  
Percy chose to ignore this. Just then Jasmine gave a cry as a regal looking great-horned owl swooped in. It dropped an official-looking letter on the middle of the table.  
  
"Oh my God Percy is going to be the new Minister of Magic?!" Fred shrieked.  
  
"ENGLAND WILL GO DOWN IN FLAMES!" George screamed in fear.  
  
The rest of us just stared. "Its not for Percy." Lee said, since he was the closest.  
  
"What does the envelope say?" Percy asked, going rather red.  
  
"Mr. Arthur Weasley."  
  
"Dad! Its for you!" Ginny said.  
  
"Oh really? I thought it was for Pig." George said as dad picked the letter up.  
  
"Its probably about last week.. . that big ordeal over that library accident.. ."  
  
"What happened?" I asked.  
  
"You know. I told everyone when it-" He stopped and blinked. "oh yeah."  
  
"Yeah, I was dead then."  
  
"Well someone charmed an entire Muggle library's books to bite people's hands." Dad explained as he opened the envelope. "the library was filled with Muggles moaning in pain. Paper cuts all over their hands. Lots of trouble and took a-"  
  
What it took, I never found out for dad suddenly gotten extremely pale as he read the letter.  
  
"Arthur?" Molly asked, gently touching his arm.  
  
"Oh my.. . oh.. . my.. ." And with that he fainted.  
  
Molly quickly grabbed the letter and read it nervously. "Oh my goodness.. ." She gasped when she finished.  
  
"What is it mother? Did dad get fired?" Percy asked, adjusting his glasses.  
  
"Well.. . in a way."  
  
"Dad's fired?!" Ginny asked.  
  
"I.. . its just." Molly took a deep breath. "let me just read this letter.  
  
Dear Mr. Arthur Weasley,  
  
It pleases me to no extent to inform you that due to your excellant and loyal work to the Ministry of Magic, and your tolerence for Muggles, that we have elected you the new Minister of Magic of England. If you would like this position, please report to the Ministry at noon today. One of our workers will meet you there.  
  
I.W.A."  
  
Everyone gasped and gathered around my unconscious father.  
  
"Dad wake up!" "Daddy wake up!" "Arthur, come on." "Back up!"  
  
Percy had pulled out his wand and pointed it at dad. Shooting a spell, he woke dad up.  
  
"M-Molly?" He was shaking something awful, looking extremely dazed.  
  
"Oh ARTHUR!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around his shoulders and covering his face with kisses.  
  
"Daddy your the new MINISTER OF MAGIC!" Ginny screamed, throwing her arms around his waist.  
  
"All right DAD!" Fred and George shouted, cheering loudly with Lee.  
  
"Smashing good, father!" Percy said, clapping him on the back.  
  
"Congratulations dad!" I said, grinning.  
  
"Yeah congratulations, Mr. Weasley!" Jasmine said, clapping her hands happily.  
  
"You deserve it, Arthur." Harry said.  
  
"I feel.. . I feel.. . faint.. ." And with that, Dad fainted again.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
After we finally got Arthur up without him fainting again, we got him ready and sent him on his way.  
  
"Molly, what exactly is the I.W.A.?" I asked later that day.  
  
Molly was sweeping the front hall, washing the mirrors and dusting the picture frames (only doing the former, the other two she used magic). She stopped and the feather duster and wet rag dropped to the floor. "The I.W.A.?" She asked slowly.  
  
"Yeah. The I.W.A." I said.  
  
"Er.. . well its.. . well its rather hard to.. . well, Harry, you see its- well I don't really know.. . I can't explain it that well. Bill knows the most about it. I'll, er, give him a ring." She went into the living room quickly.  
  
"Why is mum calling Bill?" Ron appeared, looking a bit pale (he still was quite pale from dying but was slowly setting color back.).  
  
"I asked her what the I.W.A. was." I said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"What is it?" I asked.  
  
"Well.. . I don't know, really. Nobody really knows, you see." Ron said.  
  
"Harry, dear!"  
  
Ron and I went into the living room where Bill's head was floating in the fire. "Hullo Harry, mum says you asked an interesting question."  
  
"I wanted to know what the I.W.A. is." I said.  
  
"The I.W.A.?" He asked.  
  
"Yes." I said, confused as why they were all acting weird. If it got Arthur the Minister job. it couldn't be bad. could it?  
  
"Well. Harry. the I.W.A.. well no one really knows what it is. I suppose I know a bit more about it then the average wizard because I've. well, I mean I've had a run-in with a couple of them.  
  
"The I.W.A. stands for International Wizarding Association. And they're, well, bigger and better, more powerful and junk then the Ministries of Magic. they're sort of. well, I guess they're sort of. okay so I don't know. I told you well. really all I know about them." He admitted and glanced at the clock. "I gotta go. Bye mum, love ya!" His head disappeared from the fire.  
  
"Well there you go. And Bill is one of the handful who actually know anything about I.W.A." Molly said.  
  
"That-that's IT?" I asked, rather shocked. "I-I-I-I mean. they have the power to elect the Minister of Magic for England-"  
  
"Not just England but every single Ministry." Molly added  
  
"And no ones knows ANYTHING but THAT about them?" I demanded.  
  
"Well. right." Molly said, shaking her head. "I believe you might be able to find out something in 'The Study of Ancient Wizardry'." She suggested.  
  
"All right. think Percy has that book?" I asked Ron, who frowned.  
  
"Who's Percy?" He asked.  
  
"He's your-oh never mind, you'll remember soon enough."  
  
The two of us trouped up to his room and found Emerin Elm sitting on Ron's desk. "Hello boys." She said, looking at us as we went in.  
  
"Emerin?" I asked in confusion. "what're you doing here?"  
  
"Padfoot and Moony sent me. Here." She unrolled a piece of parchment and cleared her throat. "Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, and Miss Jasmine Potter are hereby cordially invited to the trial of Mr. Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Wormtail's on trial now?!" I shrieked happily.  
  
" 'Hereby cordially'. honestly, Padfoot is so." She looked up and blinked. "oh, yes. Wormtail is on trial. Well, not this very SECOND. His trial is tomorrow. At precisely 11:00am. Padfoot's going to pick you up." She said, swinging her legs.  
  
"Why are we all invited? I mean, sure I WANT to see that filthy germ be sentenced but. I mean." Ron trailed off.  
  
"Oh, you might be called up for witnessing. There'll be others who have the chance to be called up."  
  
"Who?" I asked.  
  
"Well, Remus. and Mr. Alexander and Miss Alexia Webs." Emerin said. "there's a large chance you won't be called up but still. you should be there."  
  
"Who're they?" I asked.  
  
"Who're who?"  
  
"Alexander and Alexia Webs."  
  
"Oh, I have no clue. But apparently they can witness to SOMETHING. Dunno what. anyway, Padfoot will be here tomorrow at ten-fifteen. See you there!" And she Disapparated. 


	5. Wormtail's Trial

CHAPTER FIVE- Wormtail's Trial  
  
Sure enough at ten-fifteen, Sirius appeared driving a flying motorcycle. "Hop in." He said.  
  
Ron and Jasmine sat in the side-car while I got on the motorcycle behind Sirius. We picked Hermione up (she looked rather distressed at the motorcycle) and we were flying through the air.  
  
After a while we arrived at a large building. When we went in, we headed down a flight of steps and into a crowded, dungeon-like square room. I recognized it right away. It was a dimly lit, underground room. There were crowded benches rising in level. In the center of the room was a chair with chains at the arms for someone to be tied there.  
  
"Hello, Harry." Professor Albus Dumbledore walked over. "Ron, great to see you alive."  
  
And Dumbledore gave Ron a hug. Ron looked as shocked as Hermione did.  
  
Then Ron frowned. 'Who is this man?" He asked nervously.  
  
"Its okay, its our Headmaster." I said.  
  
"You're weird." Ron told Dumbledore. "Wait, no I remember- oh my God I am sorry Professor I didn't mean to call you weird!"  
  
But Dumbledore was grinning. "Its okay, for indeed I am. Hermione, Jasmine." He greeted them and led us over to a main bench where a bunch of official looking wizards were, including Arthur.  
  
Mr. Weasley looked fairly surprised to see us here. "Ron? Harry? Hermione? Jasmine?" He asked.  
  
"We're witnesses." Ron mumbled as we sat down with Sirius, Remus and Emerin.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" Hermione gasped. I followed her gaze.  
  
Two teens had just entered the room. The boy was as tall as Ron with wavy red-brown hair, a long, tanned face with sharpish features, hazel eyes and a slender body. He wore a scowl and his hands were stuck in the pockets of his baggy jeans. He wore a black button-up shirt and boots.  
  
But it was the girl walking with him that made Hermione, as well as Ron, Jasmine and me, gasp.  
  
Her face, identical to the boy's only feminine, was long and her features rather sharp. Her hair was extremely long and the first couple of inches was straight then the rest was very curly. It was a darkish red-brown. The bangs had been grown out down to her shoulders, and the rest of it ended a few inches past her hips She had very tan skin and her eyes were sparkling hazel. She was about a few inches shorter then Ron and quite lean and lanky.  
  
"Peggy?" Ron asked.  
  
The teens walked over to the room and sat with them. "Peggy?" Harry asked.  
  
"Are you addressing me?" The girl asked.  
  
"Uh.. . yeah.. ." I said. "My name is Alexia." She said, tossing back her curls then turned to the middle of the room.  
  
I stared at her.. . it had to of been Peggy! It HAD to of been!  
  
Suddenly the crowd stopped whispering as the doors burst open. Two wizards dressed all in black were dragging Wormtail into the room.  
  
He was hardly taller then me and had a shrunken appearance. His thin, colorless hair was messy, and had a large bald spot on his head. Even larger then it had been before. He had a ratty-like face and was crying.  
  
The two wizards pushed him in the chair and the chains glowed gold and wrapped tightly around his wrists. "Please!" Wormtail's voice cried out, hushing the whispers that had started again. "I-I-I've done nothing wrong!!!" He cried.  
  
Beside me, Sirius snorted. "I can't wait to see what he says to try and get out of this." And he, Remus and Emerin laughed.  
  
"Wait, let me guess. he'll admit to being an unregistered Animagus and say he managed to escape that way, losing his finger in the process." Emerin said.  
  
"Then he'll say he was captured by me and I tried to kill him again but he managed to escape." Sirius chuckled.  
  
"Then say he was put under the Imperius curse by Voldemort." Remus finished.  
  
"Peter Pettigrew.. . you are hereby charged in the following accounts!" A man had stood up and was reading from a parchment. He was a medium height wizard, muscular with silver streaks in his shoulder-length black hair. He wore sweeping black robes, and a silver suit underneath. "You were a Death Eater, killed many, and were a traitor to those you trusted you. You betrayed James and Lily Potter and resulted in their death. You killed twelve Muggles and put the blame on another wizard, sending him to Azkaban. And.. ." The wizard trailed off and let the parchment roll up by itself by letting the bottom part go. "brought Voldemort back to full power."  
  
The crowd began whispering and pointing at the shivering Wormtail. "I-I-I-I didn't!" And then begun the tale that Sirius, Remus and Emerin had predicted. "I'm innocent." He whispered after finishing.  
  
"Well why don't we ask a few witnesses, shall we?" The silver and black haired man asked. "Mr. Sirius Black?" Everyone began whispering and someone even screamed as Sirius rose to his feet.  
  
"Yes Mr. Martin?"  
  
"15 years ago you were accused of murdering twelve Muggles. and the wizard you see before you. You were sent to Azkaban without a trial. Is this or is this not true?"  
  
"It is true, Mr. Martin." Sirius said, arms folded.  
  
"And did you do that?"  
  
"No, Mr. Martin."  
  
"Would you please regale us with your story?" Mr. Martin said.  
  
"Ofcourse, Mr. Martin." Sirius cleared his throat and turned back towards the room. "Fifteen years ago, I was asked to be Secret Keeper for James, Lily and Harry Potter. being the thick-headed dolt I was, I ask for it to be changed to someone else without informing anyone. This wizard you see before you, Mr. Peter Pettigrew, was the Secret Keeper. He told his Master, lord Voldemort-"  
  
"He was never m-m-m-m-my master!" Wormtail cried out but Sirius continued.  
  
"And Voldemort attacked. I realized my mistake too late and returned to the home to find." Sirius stopped and took a deep breath. "to find James and Lily dead.. ." he continued with his voice cracking slightly. "and Harry with his scar. I put together all the pieces, handed Harry over to Mr. Rubeus Hagrid, and searched out for Pettigrew to get my revenge.. .  
  
"I found Pettigrew in a Muggle village. He blamed me for betraying the Potters. I pulled my wand out to kill him- yes I do not deny I wanted to kill the murdering son of a.. . er, anyway." Sirius cleared his throat while Remus and Emerin snickered. "Pettigrew pulled his wand out, blasted apart the street killing twelve Muggles. He was dead as well, with only his finger left. I thought he was dead. I thought he had gone insane. well, more insane then he was, and killed himself.  
  
"The Ministry came and found me laughing. I was laughing because I thought Pettigrew had killed himself. I was sent to Azkaban.  
  
"Three years ago I found out Pettigrew was alive with this photo."  
  
I blinked at the farthest wall as a projection of the photo of the Weasleys appeared. suddenly Scabbers on Ron's shoulder took over the whole wall.  
  
"Pettigrew did not lie when he told you all he was an unregistered Animagus. He was hiding out as an innocent house pet."  
  
On my other side, Ron was mumbling swear words under his breath.  
  
"I recognized Pettigrew, and knew I had to get my revenge. I escaped Azkaban, and tried getting him from Mr. Ronald Weasley." Sirius continued his story of my Third year. well, actually the meeting in the Shrieking Shack (not mentioning the name of the shack).  
  
"And since he escaped, and I had no way to prove my story I went into hiding. Pettigrew rejoined Voldemort, and last year brought him back to full power." Sirius nodded his head and sat down.  
  
"Thank you Mr. Black. Have you anything to say to this story, Mr. Pettigrew?"  
  
"I-I-I-I-I'm innocent!" Wormtail sobbed.  
  
"Mr. Remus Lupin?" Remus stood up. "is the story you just heard from Mr. Sirius Black true?"  
  
"Yes, sir, it is." Remus said and sat down.  
  
"They're lying!" Wormtail cried.  
  
"Mr. Harry Potter?" Mr. Martin called. I shakily rose to my feet and felt hundreds of eyes on me. "Was the story from Mr. Sirius Black true?"  
  
"Yes, sir." I said, my voice magnified magically so everyone could hear me.  
  
"And did Peter Pettigrew bring Voldemort back?"  
  
"Yes sir I witnessed it." I said, glaring at Wormtail who began shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"Mr. Ronald Weasley?"  
  
I sat down and Ron nervously stood up. "Yes sir?"  
  
"Was the story true?"  
  
"Yes sir." Ron said. Mr. Martin asked Hermione and she said it was true as well.  
  
"Now then, I call Mr. Alexander and Miss Alexia Webs to witness." The two stood up. "Please tell us of what you know of this wizard you see before you."  
  
"Mr. Peter Pettigrew is indeed a servant of Voldemort." Alexander sneered. "We have witnessed him in Voldemort's service."  
  
"A few months ago, Voldemort tried to kill Harry by baiting him with Sirius. Pettigrew was with him. Voldemort, I mean." Alexia/Peggy said.  
  
"Ask him where he got that hand." Alexander said.  
  
"Where did you get that hand, Mr. Pettigrew?" Mr. Martin.  
  
"I-I-I-I-I-"  
  
"Voldemort gave it to him." Both teens chorused before sitting down.  
  
"Have you anything to say, Pettigrew?" Mr. Martin sneered.  
  
"I'M INNOCENT!" Wormtail said and began crying.  
  
"Show us your Animagus form."  
  
The chains bound around his wrists let go and the two wizards that brought him in, held their wands out. Wormtail nodded and began a rat. Then back human.  
  
"Very well. Mr. Peter Pettigrew. I hereby charge you guilty of all accounts."  
  
Wormtail let out a loud sob. I clenched my teeth, hoping they wouldn't kill him then and there. I had seen enough deaths to last me a lifetime. But I doubted they would.  
  
"Your sentence will be." Mr. Martin began and everyone looked at him with bated breath. "to permanently be in your rat form."  
  
Wormtail's eyes got wide at this. "P-p-p-permanently?"  
  
"Yes. You will be kept in a cage protected by magic so if you try to turn human you will be crushed to death. And you will also be used to give some of our pet cats some exercise." Almost everyone laughed at this and Wormtail began shaking again. "and if they catch you well. what a shame." Mr. Martin raised his wand and said a spell. A largish clear plastic cage appeared with air holes in the top, wood chips for bedding and a hamster wheel. There were some tunnels twisting around but always came back to the main cage. He pointed his wand at Wormtail and in a flash of light, he was a rat and forced into the cage.  
  
The cage was then taken from the room. But the trial wasn't done. "Mr. Sirius Black." Mr. Martin turned to Sirius who rose to his feet. "All charges against your name are cleared. You are hereby pronounced- innocent!"  
  
Everyone was cheering but no one as loudly as me.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
"Sirius your name is cleared!" Harry flung himself at me and hugged me tightly. I hugged back then turned to Remus and Emerin.  
  
"Let's have a wild party and get drunk." Remus suggested. Emerin smacked him in the head sharply.  
  
"Remus you prat, Harry and the others are underage!" She shrieked.  
  
"Emerin if I remind you, being underage never stopped US from getting drunk." I said with a grin.  
  
"Shh, Padfoot." Remus hissed, glancing at Harry who was grinning.  
  
"Too late, I heard."  
  
"Too bad I don't have a house right now. and probably won't get one by the time you go back to school." I said.  
  
"Its okay." He said with a shrug.  
  
"But maybe we can have a nice Christmas at my house." I suggested.  
  
"Just so long as you don't cook the dinner." Remus said.  
  
"Just so long as YOU cook the dinner, too." Emerin told Remus.  
  
"Sirius Black you have just been freed of the charge of murdering thirteen people! What are you going to do now?" Remus asked in a deep voice.  
  
"Hit you then go eat lunch." I said and smacked Remus upside the head before going outside into the bright sun. It may of just been me, but the day seemed brighter and happier, and the sky clearer then ever before. My face broke into the widest grin I ever had before and could no longer hold it in. I leapt in the air "YES!" 


	6. Back To School

CHAPTER SIX- Back To School (Ron's point of view)  
  
"Molly, you've got to let go of the boy. Molly. let go. Molly. MOLLY!" It took Dad and Percy to somehow pry mother off of me. She was refusing to let me go.  
  
"Be careful my baby!" She sobbed.  
  
"I will, Mum." I said. She got loose of Dad and Percy and hugged me tightly again. "Mum! Please! The train'll leave any moment!" I said. I kissed her cheek and tried to wiggle loose.  
  
"Molly please. the train will be leaving." Dad said, trying to pull Mum off of me again.  
  
"No. I need more time with him!" Mum screeched.  
  
My ears were rapidly turning red as all the other parents were staring at us. "Mum!!!" I gasped. "please. Dad, Percy."  
  
"Molly don't make me use magic." Dad said.  
  
Mum kissed both cheeks and my forehead before finally letting go. "Bye baby." She whispered.  
  
"I'll write mum, I promise. Bye!" I jumped onto the train just three seconds before the whistle blew, the doors closed and the train started.  
  
I went down the corridors and bumped into someone. "I'm sorry." She said. She looked exactly like that 'Alexia Webs' at Wormtail's trial, only with perfectly straight and smooth hair, and thick-rimmed and thick-lensed oval glasses  
  
"Peggy!" I gasped.  
  
It was Peggy Morlins. She looked at me in shock. "R-Ron?" She stammered then fainted dead away in my arms. I dragged her down the corridor and into the compartment Harry and Hermione were saving (Jasmine was sharing a compartment with Draco Malfoy).  
  
"Hey R- Peggy?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah. She saw me and fainted." I said, tipping her body on a seat. Her glasses clattered to the floor and I pocketed them.  
  
"But... she saw you at the trial she knew you were alive." Hermione said.  
  
"Hermione, that was someone named Alexia Webs." I pointed out.  
  
"I think Peggy and Alexia are one and the same." Hermione said grouchily, fingering her Prefect badge.  
  
"We have no proof." I pointed out.  
  
"What if..." Harry trailed off. "what if it is the same person."  
  
"Listen, Harry, her reaction to seeing me was truthful. She had no idea I was alive. And Alexia saw me at the trial." I pointed out.  
  
"What if she has a split-personality?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Split-personality?" I asked, sitting by Peggy's legs.  
  
"Yeah. Sometimes she's Peggy then sometimes she's that Alexia. and-and subconsciously she thought the note HAD said that about her aunt but it really said that other thing. The real note wormed into the Alexia side so Peggy left Hogwarts and returned to the cave as Alexia." Hermione said.  
  
"Brilliant idea but wouldn't she of turned into Alexia at SOME point at Hogwarts last year?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah well. remember all those times she disappeared? Like at Christmas morning? Maybe she was off being Alexia then." Hermione suggested.  
  
"Want to know what I think?" I asked.  
  
"Sure, Ron, what do you think?" Harry asked.  
  
"Think about what?" I asked in confusion then remembered. "oh yeah. Well, I read about dopplegangers. Somewhere out in the world is someone who looks exactly like you."  
  
"And you think that Peggy's doppleganger is Alexia Webs?" Hermione asked and I nodded.  
  
"Yep." I said.  
  
"I think she has split-personality." Hermione voiced stubbornly.  
  
"Maybe Peggy and Alexia are twins that were separated as babies." Harry suggested.  
  
"I think its the doppleganger thing." I said.  
  
"And I think she has split-personality. It makes sense."  
  
"No it doesn't, Hermione!"  
  
"Just because she has split-personality doesn't mean she'll turn into the other person once a month or something." Hermione said bitterly.  
  
"I think they're long lost twins." Harry said.  
  
"That makes as much sense as Ron's idea." Hermione retorted.  
  
"Wait... the twin... that boy." Harry suddenly said.  
  
"What about him?"  
  
'Well obviously he and Alexia are twins but. never mind its. well-"  
  
"Wait, Harry. before he and Peggy or Alexia or whoever left after we returned from the cave, she called him 'Paul'."  
  
"Yeah, so?" Harry asked.  
  
"But at the trial. his name was Alexander."  
  
"Well maybe he has split-personality." I said sarcastically.  
  
"No because then. well Peggy called him Paul when she was Alexia. and he was Alexander at the trial when she was still Alexia." Hermione pointed out.  
  
But we had to stop talking because Peggy was waking. "What. happened.?"  
  
I handed her her glasses. "You saw me and fainted." I said.  
  
Peggy slowly sat up and rubbed her head. "R-Ron?" She stammered.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You. you. you're alive!" She gasped, staring at me with widening hazel eyes.  
  
"I am. Thanks to some good friends." I said with a wide grin.  
  
She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly, kissing my face all over (which started giving me very strange feelings). "Oh Ron I don't care how but you're alive!" She said then kissed me hard on the lips.  
  
The first thing I saw was stars and rockets. Then I began to feel extremely dizzy... "That was a very. good. kiss." I said, feeling extremely dazed after she stopped kissing me, but was hugging me tightly.  
  
"How? How did you get to be alive again?" She asked, pulling back.  
  
"Well, see Harry-" I began but Harry cut in.  
  
"He was never dead in the first place. That funeral and grave was a hoax." He said quickly.  
  
"But. why?" Peggy asked, looking confused.  
  
"Why?" Harry asked and glanced at Hermione.  
  
"To make You-Know-Who think we used the Stone up so he won't try and get it." She said.  
  
"What?" Peggy asked.  
  
"We made it look like Ron died and had come back, and in doing so used up the power of the Stone and he wouldn't try to go after it again." She said.  
  
"Oh." Peggy said slowly and sat back. "I see. I think."  
  
I, however, was confused as of why Harry and Hermione didn't want Peggy to know the truth. I looked at them and they looked back, with looks on their faces that obviously meant for me not to tell her.  
  
"Where's Jasmine?"  
  
"With Malfoy." Harry sneered.  
  
And the rest of the trip was relatively silent. We arrived in Hogsmeade and the four of us piled into a carriage that took us to the great castle that was Hogwarts.  
  
Professor Albus Dumbledore was waiting on the front steps. Everyone looked shocked as they climbed out of their carriages, wondering why he'd be out. "Giving you another little talk most likely." I whispered to Harry as we walked over.  
  
"Mr. Weasley may I please speak to you?"  
  
I was more shocked then anyone else as he said these words. "M-me?"  
  
"Yes." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Yeah. uh, sure." I followed him into the castle and to an empty room. Last year he had sent Professor Flitwick to take Harry to him. he wasn't waiting for Harry. What did Dumbledore want from me? We sat down and Dumbledore stared hard at me, down his long crooked nose.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about. well. er-I don't know if this might make you, er, uncomfortable-"  
  
"Professor, I don't mind talking about my death." I said with a shrug.  
  
He looked mildly relieved. "I want to warn you that being a spirit trapped in the Stone then released there will be some-er-interesting side affects."  
  
"I know. I've read about them." I said.  
  
"I want you to have this." Dumbledore handed me a large package wrapped in pale. almost white blue paper and silver ribbon.  
  
"Er-Professor this isn't necessary." I said but he shoved the package into my hands.  
  
"Don't open it until you'll have time to actually look through it." He said.  
  
"Okay, sir." I said. "thank you."  
  
"Now, let us get to the feast. I'm positively starving." He said, helping me up and guiding me to the Great Hall.  
  
I had stuck the (rather heavy) package in my backpack and dropped into the seat Harry had saved me. "What did Dumbledore want?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"Just wanted to congratulate me on being alive." I mumbled. I then noticed almost every single pair of eyes were on me and everyone began whispering.  
  
We turned (and thankfully the whispering stopped) as the front doors opened and Professor McGonagall guided a bunch of nervous looking First years in, ready for their Sorting. They went up to line in front of the teachers table and that's when I noticed it. There were four seats empty.  
  
"Hey, why're so many seats empty?" I asked.  
  
"Dunno." Harry replied with a shrug.  
  
I glanced at Dumbledore who winked at me before turning to the Sorting Hat McGonagall had brought out and set on the stool. It opened its brim wide and began its song.  
  
"I am called the Sorting Hat  
  
For that is what I do.  
  
I look right into your head  
  
And see all about you.  
  
You might be a little afraid  
  
But no need to be, so  
  
Put me on your head  
  
And here we go!  
  
If you have sharp mind and wit  
  
And in learning you have no flaw  
  
Then bronze and blue is where you'll go  
  
To the house of Rowena Ravenclaw.  
  
If your color is true blue  
  
If you're loyal, devoted, and that stuff  
  
Then to black and yellow!  
  
House of Helga Hufflepuff.  
  
If you have daring nerve,  
  
If you're brave and sure  
  
Then scarlet and gold is your color  
  
House of Godric Gryffindor.  
  
And if you are real shrewd  
  
Ambitious to a pin  
  
Then to green and silver  
  
House of Salazar Slytherin.  
  
One of those four  
  
Is where you will be  
  
So just put me on your head  
  
And then we all shall see!"  
  
The Hat was now silent. Everyone cheered and McGonagall unrolled a parchment. "Abrit, Andrew?" A boy with curly black hair and a greenish tint to his face ran forward and the Hat was placed on his head.  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" The Hat announced and Andrew went to the house of blue and bronze.  
  
"Addins, Geraldina?" A girl with fluffy blonde hair and bright blue eyes nervously sat down.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!!" And she rushed to the table.  
  
"Arvins, Christine?" A girl with curly reddish blonde hair slowly went forward.  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" Christine ran down and sat with Andrew Abrit.  
  
"Bagge, Eustace?" A boy with a prominent chin and glasses sat down.  
  
"SLTYHERIN!" And he joined the table looking quite happy.  
  
"Baggins, Freda?" A short girl with immensly curly black hair sat on the stool.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Our house exploded into cheers as she came down to the table. "Welcome to Gryffindor!" We all said.  
  
"Thank you." She said cheerfully.  
  
"Are you named after Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings?" Asked a Fourth year.  
  
"Oh shut up." Freda grumbled. Obviously the answer was 'yes'.  
  
"Bell, Hannah?" McGonagall called and shockingly nothing happened. "Bell, Hannah?" She repeated. Everyone stared at the First years but no one moved. The entire Hall was silent for quite a few moments.  
  
"Minerva continue, please." Dumbledore said, I could tell he was snickering at something. And, oddly enough, a few names later it happened again.  
  
"Cat, Ima?" She called. Nothing happened. Everyone looked at the First years. McGonagall cleared her throat. "Cat, Ima!" She insisted.  
  
"My dear Minerva please just continue with the Sorting." Dumbledore said but he was giggling at something.  
  
"Creevy, Ellen?" A small girl with her mousy brown hair pulled into pigtails ran up.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Ellen ran down and joined Colin and Dennis Creevy who were obviously her older brothers.  
  
"Creevy, Flora?" A girl identical to Ellen was put into Gryffindor as well.  
  
"Girls look over that's Harry Potter!" I heard Dennis whispering.  
  
"Wow!" the Creevy twin girls gasped, staring at Harry.  
  
"And that's Ron Weasley. He died!!"  
  
"He looks alive to me." Ellen said, peering at me.  
  
"He died." Her brothers assured her.  
  
By the time we turned back to the Sorting it was up into 'F' and it happened again. "Fulded, Greg?" She called but nothing happened. "Fulded, Greg?" She insisted.  
  
"Just continue." Dumbledore said, smiling. Luckily it didn't happen for a while. When it got to the 'L's, another set of twins were sorted. "Livings, Darien?"  
  
A boy with the blackest hair I had ever seen rushed forward and plopped himself on the seat. "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Darien rushed down to the table and looked very relieved. "If I was anywhere else dad would kill me." He mumbled.  
  
"Livings, David?" A boy identical to Darien went forward and was put into Gryffindor as well. When it got to 'M' another set of twins were Sorted. Jacob and Jessica Miller were put into Hufflepuff.  
  
"How many twins are here this year?" Hermione asked as Clarise and Claire Nott were put into Slytherin. Later, Eglantine and Eugene Sandstone were put into Gryffindor.  
  
"Stone, Livings?" McGonagall asked and nothing happened except a few giggles.  
  
"What? What's funny?" I asked as Harry and Peggy snorted and tried to hide their laughter.  
  
"Oh my gosh I didn't see it until now." Harry said.  
  
"Me either." Peggy giggled.  
  
"See what?" I demanded.  
  
"Stone, Livings?" McGonagall said more firmly. None of the First years went up though a great deal of them were giggling.  
  
"What is so funny?!" I hissed as Hermione couldn't hold in her laughs. "Tell me!" I insisted as three other Gryffindor Sixth years, Seamus Finnigin and cousins Dean and Donnie Thomas, burst into snickers. A lot of people from every table but the Slytherins were trying hard not to laugh, hard. I recognized most of them were either Muggle-Born or half and half.  
  
"Stone, Livings please come forward." McGonagall said then whirled angrily at the table as Dumbledore suddenly burst into loud laughter which caused everyone who had been suppressing it, to burst into laughter.  
  
"My dear Minerva, just continue on with the Sorting." Dumbledore said in a muffled voice since he had buried his face in his hands. "before we all break our ribs. please hurry."  
  
Her lips extremely thin, McGonagall called the next student up. Later it happened again, one last time.  
  
"Voil, Oliver?" She asked and the entire hall now burst into laughter.  
  
McGonagall suddenly went red and waved the parchment about. "Okay, who is the wise guy?!" She demanded.  
  
"J-just get the last couple of students Sorted!" Dumbledore gasped as he fell out of view, laughing so hard. The remaining four students were Sorted.  
  
"I wonder who did it." Hermione asked, gasping for air and clutching her sides.  
  
"You mean all those names when nobody came up were fake?" I asked.  
  
"Duh! 'Bell, Hannah'. Hannah Bell. Hannibal. 'Cat, Ima'. I'm a Cat. 'Fulded, Greg'. okay well I have no idea what that is. It might be a real guy who didn't show up. Then 'Stone, Livings'. Livingstone. Dr. Livingstone. Then Oliver Voil which you got." Peggy said.  
  
"Yeah." I said and turned to the table where Dumbledore had finally regained control over his senses and stood up.  
  
"Yes well after that amusing prank." He cleared his throat, announced a few rules then introduced the new teachers. er sort of. "As you probably noticed we have a few seats empty. anyway, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who will be arriving soon. Now then. over the summer we had a few. retirements.  
  
Professor Binns of History has-" Dumbledore never finished, the entire hall burst into loud cheers. It took Dumbledore fifteen minutes and a threat to hide Pufferballs in everyone's beds to quiet them down. "Thank you." He said sternly, though smiling. "Binns has retired. said something about quitting to continue his death in peace or something, anyway the new History teacher will be arriving tomorrow morning.  
  
"Alas it is my deepest regrets to inform you that Professor Sprout has retired." With this he took a deep breath through his nose. "well not retired, really. Just took a job that offered her a higher pay somewhere in Iceland. Anyway, your new Herbology teacher will be arriving tomorrow as well.  
  
"Professor Amah has left us, as well. Her parents were. attacked in a recent Death Eater raid and she went to Scotland to raise her younger siblings. We have a new Healings Professor who will be arriving in the morning.  
  
Now then! Before we eat I'd like to say." Dumbledore trailed off as the doors burst open and a woman crossed the room. "welcome, Professor Conway. No, students, that's not what I was going to say." He quickly added.  
  
"Thank you, Albus." She said and sat in one of the empty seats. She was a young woman with golden brown hair pulled in a braid, tan skin and a scar that curved from her left eyebrow down to her chin in a crescent moon shape.  
  
"What I was going to say was. SOLO FOR THE HEADMASTER! When I'm stuck with a day. that's gray. and lonely. I just stick out my chin. and grin. and saaaaaaaaayyyyy the sun'll come out. Tomorrow. So you gotta hang on till tomorrrrow. come what maaaaaaaaaaay! Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll love ya! Tomorrow! You're only a day away! Toooooooomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll love ya! Tomorrow! You're only a daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy!"  
  
Everyone (especially the First years) stared at him. Dumbledore spread his arms out wide and food appeared over the golden plates and everyone attacked it with hunger that had endured through the extra 15 minutes of cheering that Binns was gone.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
Something heavy landed on me, waking me up. "Har, wake up." I rolled over and blinked. Ron was dressed and had thrown one of my shoes at me.  
  
"Oh man." I moaned. I slowly got up and rubbed my shoulder where he had hit me. "Ron." I moaned, glancing at my Wizarding watch. "its only six-forty- five. we don't have to get up for another. half an hour at the least." I fell back on my bed and pulled the covers up around me.  
  
"Whatever. I'm going down to breakfast." Ron said and I heard him leaving.  
  
I wondered what had gotten into Ron then remembered. Duh. The Stone. One of the side affects was an increase in studious behavior.  
  
Not much longer later, Ron ran up the stairs. "HARRY!" He shrieked. "Harry come on! Hurry you've got to. come on!"  
  
"Don't wanna." I grumbled. Ron pulled the covers off my bed.  
  
"Come ON!"  
  
"Oh okay!" I got dressed and after trying (and totally failing) to brush down my hair, I followed Ron to the Great Hall.  
  
"You're not going to believe this but." He opened the doors and I stepped in.  
  
"Heya Harry!"  
  
I looked at the teachers table. Sirius and Remus sat there, building a mountainous tower out of bacon and toast with Emerin using her wand to fly pieces of the breakfast food to them so they could work on the extremely tall tower. In fact as I stared, Sirius and Remus climbed onto the table. The tabletop breakfast tower was five feet tall, give or take a few inches. No, just give. The only other teachers were Professor Flitwick of Charms, and Professor Sinistra of Astronomy.  
  
Flitwick was threatening to topple over backwards as he stared at the tower top. Sinistra was clapping her hands and giggling.  
  
"Oh my goodness." Hermione and Peggy had appeared and stopped in the doorways as well. Soon there was a build-up and Dumbledore pushed to the front to see what was the matter.  
  
"Nice tower boys, you've beaten your old record." He said as he walked towards the teachers table.  
  
The students poured in and sat at their tables, watching the tower get higher and higher. Finally neither man could reach the top and everyone thought it'd be over but Sirius ducked, and Remus climbed onto his shoulders and they continued higher.  
  
"Leaning tower of breakfast pizza." Emerin giggled as they put a little flag with an emblem I couldn't see on the top.  
  
"YEAH!" Sirius and Remus suddenly yelled happily. Emerin and Dumbledore burst into applause. Ron and I joined closely followed by Hermione and then the entire Gryffindor table. Then the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs and a handful of teachers.  
  
The teachers who were not cheering were McGonagall who had her lips pressed thin, and Professor Severus Snape who was glaring murderously at the duet on the table.  
  
The two men grinned and suddenly Remus's eyes got wide. "SIRIUS!" He yelled as Sirius let go of his legs to hold his hands up high in victory. Remus began wobbling and Sirius grabbed his legs but it was too late. The two crashed back into the tower, and the intricate design was destroyed as bacon and toast (as well as some sausage gravy they were using) fell on them.  
  
Everyone stopped cheering and burst into laughter as the two slowly sat up on the teachers table. Sirius was grinning as he pulled a piece of crisp bacon from his hair. Remus was laughing, causally brushing toast crumbs from his shabby robes.  
  
"Nice going, idiots!" Emerin said.  
  
"Oh stuff it." Sirius replied.  
  
Emerin grinned a nasty grin and suddenly poured a tureen of sausage gravy over Sirius's head. "Oops. Sorry." She said innocently. Remus roared with laughter until Sirius dumped a whole pitcher of orange juice on him.  
  
Remus leapt to his feet (still on the teachers table) and grabbed a plate of sausage links. "FOOD FIGHT!" He screamed and dumped it onto Emerin.  
  
"Not again!" Hermione yelled, ducking under the table as breakfast foods began soaring through the air.  
  
"Now this is what I call a good first day of school!" Ron laughed, sending some kippers in the direction of half a dozen Hufflepuff girls who had looks of disgust on their face. They screamed as it hit them and glared at Ron who smiled innocently at them. I took this opportunity to dump milk over him.  
  
Unfortunately this food fight couldn't last very long since it was breakfast and we had classes to go to. So only after fifteen minutes, Dumbledore was ushering everyone out to get showered.  
  
"Now that three of you are back together, Hogwarts is going to be in ruins, isn't it?" He asked a grinning Sirius, Remus and Emerin.  
  
"Well. duh!" Sirius said causing the other two to laugh.  
  
I shook my head and went to get a quick shower before rushing to Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
Everyone in the entire house of Gryffindor was at some class or another. Since I was all alone, I felt it fit to open the package Dumbledore had given me. So, sitting in a squashy armchair by the crackling fire, I untied the silver ribbon and carefully unfolded the icy blue paper.  
  
It was a huge book, like something Hermione'd want. It was about five inches thick, and the edges of the paper were uneven. The cover was old and a faded brownish red. The binding was goldish and the paper inside was old and yellow. I closed the book and peered at the gold words stamped across the front. The title of the book was 'Deep Magic'. As soon as I read that, I felt a weird sensation growing inside of me. Taking a deep breath, I opened to the first page and began reading.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
The second class of the day was Herbology and when we went to the greenhouses, I saw Sirius. "Hey Harry!" He said, grinning from ear to ear, waving his hand.  
  
"What're you do-" I stopped and dropped my bookbag. "YOU'RE THE NEW HERBOLOGY TEACHER?!" I screeched.  
  
"Yep!" He said cheerfully.  
  
"You. YOU?!" Hermione demanded.  
  
"Yes. Me." He said cheerfully. We were staring at him in disbelief. "Oh don't worry! Herbology was my best subject. Or maybe that was James. eh, anyway, follow me!" He said. We still looked doubtful but followed him into one of the greenhouses.  
  
It was Greenhouse Ten and filled with most fascinating plants. I was the first one in line, with Hermione, Jasmine and Peggy behind me (the rest of the class was slow to follow. Even know the papers announced he was innocent, they still looked nervous being taught by a man who had been accused slayer of thirteen.). As soon as I went in, a large plant with its leaves as teeth growled at me. I jumped back as it snapped angrily.  
  
"Ouch- Harry!" Hermione yelped as I landed on her foot.  
  
"Don't let that buster get to you, Harry." Sirius assured me. "his bark is worse then his bite. Can't even sink his teeth into mashed potatoes."  
  
With this Ernie MacMillan laughed and poked the plant in the stalk. The plant, in turn, wrapped its branches around Ernie's waist and lifted him high in the air. The Hufflepuffs yelped and darted back out the door. "Get me down!" Ernie shrieked.  
  
"First one that can get him down without hurting the plant will get something special." Sirius said lazily as he flopped into the seat at the front of the greenhouse.  
  
"Bindicus Breakus!" Neville Longbottom, a round, and rather stupid Sixth year Gryffindor, who had a horrible memory and was the worst in all classes except this one, pointed his wand at the plant.  
  
The plant screeched and dropped Ernie and quickly retreated into the corner, rubbing the branches and whimpering. I helped Ernie off the ground. He was a bit shaken up, but otherwise fine. "Y-you said he couldn't hurt me." He growled at Sirius who stood back up.  
  
"No. I said he can't bite you. Wrapping his branches around your waist and lifting you into the air isn't biting. at least, not the last time I checked." Sirius ran his fingers through his hair then produced a Chocolate Frog and gave it to Neville. "and ten points to Gryffindor. Oh come in, your housemate is perfectly fine but that should teach him not to go prodding plants." Sirius told the Hufflepuffs waiting outside the doors. "should teach all of you." He added as they came in.  
  
There were a bunch of desks that could seat five. Hermione, Jasmine, Peggy and I sat at one of these, joined by Justin Finch-Fletchly. "Hi Harry." He said.  
  
"Hey Justin."  
  
"I. well I have a . a-a question." He stammered.  
  
"Okay." I said.  
  
"I saw-well I THOUGHT I saw. well I-I-I-I-I mean. I don't mean to UPSET you. well its j-I mean I'm not the only one who th-thought they saw that well-and there well. you see I just thought-last night at the feast and this morning well. I-I-I"  
  
"Yes Ron is alive." I said, reading between the stammers.  
  
"How?" Justin whispered.  
  
"I don't know." I lied and turned to the front of the room. Sirius had been, during the time Justin was sputtering, wrestled a plant onto his desk.  
  
It was about two feet tall and covered with purple fuzz. It had two long tendrils coming out either side like tentacles, covered with something green and sharp-looking. Two fangs protruded from amidst the purple fuzz. I already heard it snarling with a high-pitched garbling sort of sound.  
  
"Anybody know what this is?" Sirius asked, holding the thing back with a gloved hand.  
  
Hermione, Peggy, Neville and Jasmine all shot their hands up. Sirius looked at them all then at Neville. "Neville?"  
  
"Its the Fangora." He said, looking rather nervous.  
  
"Right-a-mundo." Sirius said with a grin that made Neville smile back. "Anyone care to tell me the Fangora's four deadly weapons?" Once again it was the three girls and Neville who raised their hands. "No. I want someone else to answer. I want to see if anyone can't point out at least two of them."  
  
"The-er-fangs?" Susan Bones of Hufflepuff said.  
  
"Yes. anyone else? There's another real obvious one."  
  
"The green sharp things on its tentacles?" Dean asked.  
  
"Yep! Now then. Hermione?"  
  
"The purple fuzzy stuff can secrete a toxic fume." She said.  
  
"Yep and. Jasmine."  
  
"Its roots." She answered.  
  
"Very good. The Fangora's roots do not go deep. The spread along right under the top soil and if someone tries to attack, the roots will shoot up. The end of the roots are like stingers and can put a poison into you if the stinger actually goes into you." Sirius said He put a Muggle's diver mask over his head which covered his eyes and nose. Most the students giggled but I didn't for I was one of the very few who saw a thin, hard-to-see purple powder stuff release from the fur as Sirius grabbed the Fangora around the middle and lifted it. "The powdery stuff most of you don't see," Sirius said, his voice slightly nasally. "can only enter through the nose and eyes. For some reason, it refuses to go near the mouth and in fact will repel away from an open one. Your best defense against the fume is covering your eyes and nose, then talking a lot. Which is quite easy for me." With this most the class burst into laughter. "But that is just one of the four deadly weapons. The fangs you can easily avoid. The tentacle-things however lash out like whips. The best defense against this is kicking it. It doesn't like to be kicked and will then resort to using its underground stingers. Incredibly easy to avoid since the roots can only come an inch or two above the ground so if you wear thick shoes you'll be safe." Then Sirius grinned incredibly wide. "Now there IS a way to completely repel the plant. oh man this is the funnest part. Now. the way you can repel a Fangora is do the thing it hates the most. which is singing a song." Most the glass laughed in disbelief. "No, I'm serious. Okay well I AM Sirius no matter what but anyway. I tell the truth. Let's see. let me think. ah, I got it." Sirius said and cleared his throat.  
  
"You broke my heart. cause I couldn't dance. you didn't even want me around. and now I'm back to let you know. I can really shake 'em down." Sirius sung in a melencholy voice. Suddenly a spotlight went on him and all the other lights turned off, as he leapt to his feet and music began playing. "Do you love me?! I can really move! Do you love me?! I'm in the groove! Now do you love me? Do you love me? Nooooooowwwwwww that Iiiiiiiiiiii can daaaaaaaaaanncceeee. daaaaaaaaaaannnceeee. daaaaaaanncee- watch me now!" Sirius began playing an air guitar. The entire class was laughing and cheering Sirius on. And it was working, the Fangora was cringing back and trying to get as far from Sirius as possible (I wasn't sure if it was because of the song, or the fact Sirius was totally insane. I had a feeling it had to do with both.) "Hey! Work, work! Oh work it out baby! Work, work! Well you're a driving me crazy! Work, work! With a little bit o' soul now, work! I can mashed potato! I can mashed potato! I can do the twist! I can do the twist! Now tell me, baby! Tell me, baby! Do you like it like this? Do you like it like this? Tell me! Tell meee, tell me!" Sirius jumped onto his desk and began doing the 'Monkey'. "Do you love me?! Do you love me? Do you love me?! Do you love me? Now do you love me? Do you love me? Nooooooowwwwwww that Iiiiiiiiiiii can daaaaaaaaaanncceeee. daaaaaaaaaaannnceeee. daaaaaaanncee watch-" Sirius was cut off and the lights came back on and the music stopped.  
  
"Nice dancing, Black." We looked at where Snape had opened the door and was standing there, arms folded and a look of intense dislike on his face.  
  
Sirius- who was frozen in the middle of doing the 'monkey'- suddenly straightened up and nearly banged his head on a hanging fern from the ceiling above his desk (which he was still on). "Hullo Sevy baby, still a teacher?" He asked.  
  
Snape clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. "I came by to get that Wlan powder you were to supposed to of given to me before this class started." With this Snape narrowed his eyes even more. "but I can see you are far too busy teaching these kids your appalling dancing and singing abilities."  
  
"If you think you can croon it better then me, go ahead." Sirius said.  
  
Snape clenched his teeth even harder. I could a muscle in his forehead twitching. "The Wlan powder, Professor."  
  
"I haven't gotten it made yet. The Seventh years were supposed to be helping but halfway through class we got-er-off track. One of the Ravenclaws, Miss Cho Chang, discovered a Pufferball in the greenhouse and we begun a game of volleyball." Sirius grinned broadly at this.  
  
"I'll expect that Wlan powder on my desk before lunch is over, Black." And Snape whisked off, robes billowing behind him.  
  
"Oily git." Sirius said, shutting the door (not noticing the Fangora had run out to get away from him) and turned to the class. "and you can quote me on that- damn!!!" He said, now noticing the plant was gone. "no, no, no, no! Don't quote me on THAT. ah well I guess class over. I'll expect you to be able to sing a Fangora away by next class. Bye!" He said and opened the door again.  
  
I hung back to talk to him. "Nice song."  
  
"Thanks." He said with a grin. "Now, did you stay back just to say what a marvelous dancer and singer I am or is there something else?"  
  
"First of all. I was wondering what Remus and Emerin teach now." I said.  
  
"Remus is the new History teacher and Emerin is teaching Healings."  
  
"I take it they're good at those?"  
  
Sirius snorted. "Speaking as a fellow Professor- yes. Speaking as myself- god no. Those two need to be locked up in a padded cell. Then again, so should I. Letting the three of us loose together is a big mistake. Oh well. Let's get going, its time for lunch and I'm hungry."  
  
And Sirius escorted me back to the castle.  
  
***  
  
Compared to Herbology, the rest of the day was totally uneventful. Ron, when he found out what they did in Herbology, seemed rather upset.  
  
"Hey at least you don't have to make a ruddy fool of yourself singing a song." Harry complained.  
  
"I've got a dreadful singing voice." Hermione sighed, looking very upset.  
  
"What's wrong, Hermione? For once can't get help from a book?" Ron asked, grinning nastily.  
  
"Actually I can." She said, brushing back some of her hair.  
  
"You what?" Peggy asked. "how?"  
  
"A voice spell. I can at least make myself sing better." Hermione said, sipping some water.  
  
"That's cheating." Jasmine said then thought a moment. "though a clever idea."  
  
"Let's see." Ron grabbed Hermione's schedule, haven only been given his two- week O.W.Ls schedule since he had missed his, the last school year being dead. "Wednesday after lunch. no I don't believe I'll be having ANY O.W.Ls that day. I think I'll drop by the greenhouses." Ron said.  
  
Hermione snatched her schedule back and scowled. "I love Sirius but really. making us sing." She said, glancing up at the teacher's table where the trouble-making trio were unusually quiet. Emerin's impish face was grinning nastily. Remus had his head ducked low over his dinner. Sirius was calmly stirring some tea. Too calmly.  
  
"Okay I wonder what they've done now." Harry said. Ron began snickering. "What?" Harry asked.  
  
"I know what they're gonna do."  
  
"How do YOU know?" Harry asked.  
  
"A little before dinner I. had my first Divination thing since, you know, I died. A vision." Ron said and cracked another grin. "oh man this is going to be so funny."  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"You'll see." Ron said, checking his watch. "should be happening any second."  
  
Sure enough, five seconds later all the torches went out, and black curtains fell over the windows making it completely black in the room except for the sky above them. Almost all the girls screamed as well as quite a few boys. Then everyone (except the teachers and Ron) screamed as a blanket covered the ceiling and causing the entire room to be black.  
  
"Ron, what the hell are they up to?" Harry hissed.  
  
"Oh man." Ron said, trying not to laugh. "this is so funny. oh God I can't stand this. oh geez." Suddenly a disco ball was lowered down and burst out its dazzling light and disco music pumped out of no where. The song was 'Macho Man'.  
  
"Oh NO not THIS again!" McGonagall's cry shouted out and a loud 'thud' indicated she banged her head against the table.  
  
Everyone stared as Sirius and Remus leapt onto the table which had burst into squares of light. They ripped off their robes revealing disco clothes and they began discoing.  
  
Everyone was too dazed to move and just watched their new professors dancing. They sat there completely frozen.  
  
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Macho, macho maaaaaaaannn! Yeah baby! I've got to be. a maaaachooo man. Macho, macho maaaan! I've got to be. a machoooo! Whoo! Macho, macho maaaaaaaannn! Ooh baby! I've got to be. a maaaachooo man. Macho, macho maaaan! (come on baby) I've got to be. a macho man!" Sirius and Remus sang.  
  
Harry blinked slowly, hardly even breathing. Ron was snorting with laughter and burying his face in his hands. Hermione's jaw had dropped and her eyes had gotten extremely wide. Peggy was shaking with silent laughter, though just as shocked as everyone else.  
  
Finally the song was over, the disco ball disappeared, the blanket and curtains disappeared, the torches were blazing again and Sirius and Remus had sat back down, in their robes but grinning.  
  
"Thank you, boys, for that after-dinner entertainment." Dumbledore said, looking at the two with an amused smile.  
  
"Told you it was funny." Ron said with a grin.  
  
The rest of the Great Hall was still in total shock.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"Any O.W.Ls today?" I looked up as Peggy flopped into a chair near where I read the next day.  
  
"Yep. History. Already finished it." I said, shutting the book.  
  
"What's Professor Lupin. er, Remus like?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Great. He says I probably passed with flying colors. He's a lot better then Binns. So, why aren't you in class?" I asked.  
  
"Divination/Arithmacy. I don't take either." Peggy said with a slight yawn.  
  
"Divination sucks. I'm thinking about quitting." I said.  
  
"And just when you're actually starting to become all Divination-y?" She asked with a smirk.  
  
"Oh shut up. I was hoping that by dying it would get rid of the stupid thing but."  
  
"You saw what Sirius and Remus were going to do." Peggy finished and I nodded.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Hey Ron?"  
  
"Yeah?" I asked.  
  
"How come Harry and Hermione lied to me?" She asked.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"On the train trip up. They said you didn't really die but yet just then you said you did." She pointed out.  
  
I sighed and shook my head. "I don't think they trust you."  
  
"How come?" Peggy asked, sounding hurt.  
  
"Because of Alexia Webs." I said with a shrug.  
  
"They still think that's me? I told you guys that is NOT me!" She said, scowling.  
  
"I know. I don't think its you." I said.  
  
"So you believe me?" She asked, smiling.  
  
"Yeah. I think.. have you heard of dopplegangers?"  
  
"Somewhere else there's someone who is identical to you. Yeah. You think that Alexia Webs is mine?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
She moved over to sit beside me on the couch. "Thanks for believing me."  
  
"You're welc-" She leaned over and kissed me on the lips.  
  
After regaining my senses I looked around and saw she was gone. Blinking, I looked at the fire. "Ron don't you dare start with these feelings for Peggy again." I told myself. The previous year I had really started liking Peggy and when I kissed her, she slapped me. But she had kissed me this year. TWICE. But. all that stuff she had said. about how she wasn't worth all I'd have to give up.  
  
Frowning, I tried thinking what she'd mean by that.  
  
After a long time I gave up and started reading 'Deep Magic' again. It was fascinating and was stirring up something inside of me. The first page was the most fascinating. There was a design. It was a circle with a silver star inside of it and inside the star was a phrase I didn't know what meant.  
  
Llay Ortsedd Naseta Nimod Nacc Igampe Edfo Rewo Peht.  
  
Then under the circle and star was another phrase.  
  
Cigampe Edeh Tesa Eleru Oynig Nidi Serc Igampe Ede Vahu Oyra Tsehte Esu Oyfi  
  
Maybe it was Latin or Greek or something. I read the two phrases over then returned to my place in the book. 


	7. Ron's Reflections

CHAPTER SEVEN- Ron's Reflections (Draco's point of view)  
  
"Oh look if it isn't the traitor." I glanced up from the chair I was sunk back in, at Vorin Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise Zabini and Maleficent Maddins who surrounded me.  
  
"He betrayed us. Switched his loyalty to a Gryffindor." Maleficent growled, her dark eyes narrowed. Pansy let out a slight sob at this. "I thought you loved me." She whimpered.  
  
I slammed my book shut and stood up. They hadn't found out about Jasmine until now. "Leave me alone." I said.  
  
"You do realize now that your father hates you he doesn't care what happens. and we're free to torture you." Vorin said, raising his wand.  
  
"Kill him, Vorin." Pansy said, folding her arms.  
  
I grabbed my wand and quickly aimed my wand. "Watch it, Vorin. I know as many spells as you."  
  
"Go ahead, Draco." Vorin sneered.  
  
"He won't. Dating a pathetic Gryffindor piece of trash has made him weak." Blaise sneered.  
  
"Don't you dare call her trash. She's fifty times better then any of you." I snapped at the girls.  
  
"I'm hurt." Millicent snorted.  
  
"She's nothing but trash. Dirt, scummy, disgusting trash!" Pansy shrieked.  
  
"Fernunculus!" I yelled. Pansy fell back and screamed as boils burst onto her skin.  
  
"Crucio!" I easily dodged Vorin's curse.  
  
"Getting a bit flimsy there, Vorin! I avoided that curse with seconds to spare!" I said, jumping to my feet.  
  
"You're the weak one, Draco. The boils curse? Flabby." Vorin said. The others (except Pansy who was rolling on the ground moaning) had formed a semi-circle behind Vorin. The rest of the Slytherin common room looked over and quickly came to watch. Vorin and I stood quite a few feet apart with our wands pointed. "What is the matter, Draco?" He asked after I did nothing. "Weak."  
  
"Leave it alone, Vorin." I said.  
  
"Kill him, Vorin!" Shouted a lot of the others.  
  
"Don't worry. I will." Vorin sneered and shot the Cruciatus curse at me.  
  
I easily dodged it. "You're the weak one, Vorin! I could dodge you even with the Leg-Locker curse on me!"  
  
"Locomotor Mortis!" One of the First years, Eustice Bagge, shouted. I fell back onto the stone floor, legs locked tightly.  
  
"Well let's see if that's true." Vorin sneered. I leapt to my feet and threatened to topple back over. "Crucio!"  
  
I screamed and fell back as white hot pain shot through my body. The laughter of the other Slytherins filled the common room. "Dump that pitiful excuse for a witch and we might just welcome you back."  
  
"Vorin." I took the Leg-Locker curse off of myself and slowly got up, shaking slightly. "go to hell. If anyone deserves it, you do."  
  
Curses from all around me were shot and I screamed out before falling to the ground unconscious.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
I dropped my backpack as I entered the hospital and ran to Draco's bed. "What happened?!" I demanded.  
  
"Professor Snape brought him in. Apparently the other Slytherins cursed him. A lot of them at once." Madame Pomfrey explained. "was laying in the common room for a couple hours before Professor Snape discovered him."  
  
I turned to Draco's paler-then-normal face and ran my fingers through his hair. "My poor Draco." I whispered and sat down, hand on his shoulder. I wanted to hold his hand but one of them was puffed up three times the normal size and covered in blisters from a curse. His other hand was covered with boils. I gently kissed his cheek, grabbed my backpack and stormed down the corridors. I finally found a large group of Slytherins Sixth year, talking about Draco.  
  
"Did you see his face when about fifty curses shot at him at once?" The Maddins girl giggled.  
  
I didn't even let anyone answer her. I grabbed my wand and stormed out. "Look if it isn't the little Gryffindor trash herself." Nott sneered.  
  
"I know more curses then you." I said.  
  
"I seriously doubt that." Nott said.  
  
"Besides we have you outnumbered seven-to-one." Zabini said, smiling.  
  
I clenched my teeth and kept my wand pointed. "You're a Gryffindor and a goody-two-shoes. You wouldn't curse us." Parkinson said. She had angry boils all over her face.  
  
"Nice look, Parkinson. Its a big improvement." I said.  
  
"Oh look the Gryffindor is trying her hand at making fun." Maddins said and the others snickered.  
  
"Watch it. I am not in a good mood for what you did to Draco."  
  
"Gonna try and curse us? Go ahead, Gryffindor." The seven drew themselves up in front of me. I was about to throw curses at them but then I spotted McGonagall coming down the corridor. "You are all worthless, good-for-nothing pieces of scum who can't even hurt me." I said. That did it. They all began attacking me.  
  
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" McGonagall appeared barely a second after I had been hit by their curses. The Slytherins looked at each other guiltily. McGonagall narrowed her eyes and helped me up. "You do NOT curse other students. ten points from Slytherin each and detention! Come along Miss Potter, let's get you to the hospital wing."  
  
***  
  
"Jasmine!" I glanced up from where Pomfrey was wrapping bandages around my arm, at Harry running in followed by Ron, Hermione and Peggy. "What happened?!"  
  
"Slytherins." I said.  
  
Harry cast a glance at Draco, who was still unconscious. "You got in a duel with Malfoy?" He asked rather hopefully.  
  
"No. Draco got in a duel with about every Slytherin to defend my name. Then I enticed seven of the Slytherins to attack me so McGonagall took points off and gave them detention." I explained.  
  
"You did what?!" Harry snapped angrily. "Jasmine! You could of gotten yourself killed!"  
  
"She'll be fine." Pomfrey said, pouring some oozing stuff on a large cut on my arm. "Quit wiggling!" She snapped as I jerked my arm back, under the sting.  
  
"It hurts."  
  
"Not as bad as it would. There you go." I hopped off the table and went to Draco's bed.  
  
"When'll he wake up?" I asked, brushing back some hair.  
  
"I don't know but get out right now." Pomfrey snapped and we trouped off.  
  
"Things like this are going to keep happening as long as you keep dating him." Harry said.  
  
"Discontinue your stratagem to thwart my relationship O baneful one."  
  
"WHAT?!?!?"  
  
"Stop trying to break up me and Draco." I explained.  
  
"Oh." Harry sighed heavily. "Jasmine I just-fine." He added, spotting my glare. "I'll stop."  
  
"Hi kids. Jasmine what happened?" Remus appeared, carrying a large cauldron.  
  
"A bunch of Slytherins." I explained, tucking back a strand of hair. "What's the cauldron for?"  
  
"Nothing." He said quickly.  
  
"Remus what is the cauldron for?" I asked more firmer this time.  
  
"Snape's cauldron blew up and I'm delivering him a new one." He said slowly.  
  
"Liar." Harry and I said.  
  
"Its nothing important." Remus said, blowing back some hair since his hands were full. "Really!" He added seeing our faces.  
  
"Uh-huh. Sure." I said, folding my arms.  
  
"Hi kids." Emerin appeared, carrying a large thing wrapped in black cloth.  
  
"And what is that?" Harry asked.  
  
"Nothing." She said quickly and looked at Remus. "Can I put this in the cauldron? I need to get the rest-"  
  
"Eeeemmmmmbbeeeerrr!" Remus whined, staggering slightly. "This cauldron is heavy enough as it is! Get Sirius to carry it."  
  
"My arms are already full." Sirius appeared carrying a large armful of bottles.  
  
"Stuff it in your head then, plenty of room there." Remus said, staggering even more.  
  
"Not as much as in your head. You're getting old, Remus. Gray hair already and can't even carry a huge cauldron." Sirius said.  
  
Remus delivered a well-aim kick in Sirius's shin. "My gray hair is because of my condition, dog-breath!" Then they looked at us.  
  
"You didn't see us." Emerin said and hurried off followed by the two boys.  
  
"Hoo boy." Hermione said, shaking her head as we headed to the library.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
The rest of the two weeks went by quickly and soon my O.W.Ls were over. I was extremely sick and nervous.  
  
"You did a good job, Ron. You'll get plenty." Peggy assured me, Saturday the Fourteenth, the day I was supposed to be finding out how many I got. The past two weeks had been quite interesting. Sirius, Remus and Emerin pulled off a lot of interesting stunts. Turned out the cauldron and stuff had been to make a potion they slipped into everyone's food one night and turning everyone's skin different neon colors. The entire school except Slytherins, loved the three professors. Even the ones who didn't take Healings class loved Emerin. The scrawny little impish woman wormed her way into our hearts just as Sirius and Remus did. Nobody (except Slytherins) cared anymore that Sirius was an accused murderer of thirteen for fifteen years. Nobody (except Slytherins) cared anymore that Remus was a werewolf. The three had easily become the most popular teachers in the history of Hogwarts.  
  
Professor Janet Conway was extremely interesting. She was tough and fierce. She reminded me deeply of a lion with her tan skin, golden eyes and golden mane. Besides the scar on her face, she had a lot of other scars. She was a no-nonsense sort of person.  
  
The Animagus classes wouldn't be starting up until October.  
  
Meanwhile, I was now as famous as Harry, at least at Hogwarts since I had risen from the dead. I sort of liked it (the popularity) but quickly got sick of it and now saw why he hated it.  
  
"Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall had entered the room, clutching a thick manila envelope.  
  
I leapt to my feet. "Yes, Professor?" I asked, trying to ignore the churning in my stomach.  
  
She handed me the manila envelope. I clutched it nervously. "Here are your O.W.Ls." She said.  
  
"Okay." I whispered.  
  
She nodded and left, and I turned to the others who had stood up. "Well go on," Hermione insisted, "open it!"  
  
"I can't!" I said and shoved it into Harry's hand. "You. you open it."  
  
"Okay." Harry said and opened the envelope. He looked through the papers.  
  
"How many did I get?" I demanded.  
  
"You got-"  
  
"No! Don't tell me!" I yelled, covering my ears.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"No. Tell me."  
  
"All right. You-"  
  
"Wait no, I can't stand it don't."  
  
"Okay, Ron."  
  
"No! Tell me!"  
  
"You got-"  
  
"Wait stop, don't tell me."  
  
"RON!" Harry shrieked and I blinked.  
  
"Okay. Tell me." I managed. Peggy grabbed one hand and Hermione grabbed the other. I gripped them tightly. Jasmine rested her hand on my shoulder and I began breathing hard.  
  
"Ron." Harry said and looked up.  
  
"Yes?" I squeaked, trembling.  
  
"You got thirteen O.W.Ls."  
  
"What?!" I spat out, letting go of Peggy and Hermione. "Th-th-th-th-th-th- th-that's a mistake.!!"  
  
"Its says thirteen." Harry said.  
  
"Let me see that." Hermione grabbed the papers and looked it over. "Ron's right! Its impossible!"  
  
"Hey I said 'mistake' not impossible." I snapped.  
  
"I only got twelve." She said and looked quizzically up at me.  
  
"So did I." Jasmine said.  
  
"I got eleven." Harry said quietly.  
  
"I got ten." Peggy said.  
  
"Percy and Bill got the top ones in our family and they got twelve." I whispered.  
  
"This is IMPOSSIBLE! No way did YOU get more then ME!" Hermione screamed, throwing the papers at me.  
  
"Sheesh don't get your knickers in a twist. Its gotta be a clerical error. I'll go talk to McGonagall." I said, putting the papers in my backpack and heading out of the common room.  
  
Thirteen O.W.Ls? Impossible. I could NOT of gotten thirteen. I was not that smart. I was a stupid student. I was stupid at everything but chess. I was so good at that, and at nothing else.  
  
So how could I of gotten thirteen O.W.Ls?  
  
I had no clue where McGonagall's office was so I found Sirius and asked him and he told me the way. I arrived at McGonagall's office and knocked on the door. She opened it and smiled. 'I thought you'd come." She said and opened it wide for me to come in.  
  
I did so, staring around. I had never been in her office before and it was. pretty. There were three large windows with pale yellow curtains drawn back letting it bright sunlight. There were paintings up on the wall of people who looked a lot like McGonagall so I supposed they were her family. Along one wall was a large bookshelf full of Transfiguration books and various others. On McGonagall's desk was an open book, some parchment, an open bottle of ink and a quill as well as a vase of flowers.  
  
McGonagall sat down at her desk and put the top back on the bottle and pointed at the seat on the other side of her desk in which I sat down. "Professor there must of been a mistake." I said, putting my O.W.Ls on her desk.  
  
"Why is that?" She asked.  
  
"I-I couldn't of possibly gotten thirteen O.W.Ls." I said, staring at her.  
  
She adjusted her square glasses. "I was surprised as well, Mr. Weasley. I checked it over with all the teachers. we all went over the results but. you did, honestly, got thirteen O.W.Ls."  
  
"Thirteen?" I asked in shock, not believing this.  
  
"Yes. One of the highest O.W.Ls in the history of Hogwarts."  
  
"But I barely make it through the classes as it is!" I shrieked.  
  
"Mr. Weasley. we told this to Albus and he said it came to no surprise to him. He said that if you want to. to go talk to him about this."  
  
"I-I-I. okay." I took my O.W.Ls and went to Dumbledore's office. Not knowing the password, I stood in front of the gargoyle. All I knew was it was a candy. well. if there's one good thing about me was my memory of candy names.  
  
"Acid pops. Berte Botts Every Flavour Beans. Blood lollipops. Cauldron Cakes. Chocoballs. Chocolate Frogs. Cockroach Cluster. Cribbage's Wizard Crackers. Drooble's Best Blowing Gum." I trailed off as the gargoyle still refused to move. Clenching my fists, I continued. "Exploding Bonbons. Fizzing Whizzbees! Fudge Flies! Ice Mice! Jelly Slugs! Levi-"  
  
The gargoyle had sprung aside when I had said 'Jelly Slugs'. "Thanks." I went up the stairs and knocked on his door.  
  
"Come in, Ron." Dumbledore said.  
  
I opened the door and went into his office. He was making a large house made out of cards. "Hello, Professor." I said slowly.  
  
"Have a seat." He said and I sat down, waiting for him to finish his card house. When he finished, he waved his wand and his cards neatly stacked themselves. "What did you want?"  
  
"Er-well my-my O.W.Ls." I said slowly.  
  
"Yes." He said and then glanced over at a gagging sound on his windowsill. We watched as his phoenix burst into flames and then became ash. Then the baby phoenix climbed out and flopped around.  
  
"How could I have so many? I'm so much stupider then Hermione and Percy and Bill but I got more then them!" I said in confusion.  
  
"Have you opened the package yet?" He asked, linking his long fingers together.  
  
"Yes, Sir. But I-"  
  
"Have you started reading it?"  
  
"Well. yes. But-"  
  
"Good." Dumbledore stood up and scooped Fawkes up into his hands. "That book has helped me out many times."  
  
"That book was yours?" I asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh sir. you shouldn't of given me YOUR book! I'll go-"  
  
"Ron." Dumbledore walked over to a shelf and tipped Fawkes into a bowl lined with soft cloth. "you keep that book. I've already gotten enough use from it. Now its time for it to be passed to another." He said, sitting back down in his chair.  
  
"Okay well. back to my O.W.Ls. I couldn't of gotten thirteen."  
  
"You did." Dumbledore assured me and lazily waved off a fly that had buzzed in.  
  
"But that is impossible. I'm stupid."  
  
Dumbledore looked hard at me. "Ron. you were never 'stupid'. You may of been less smart then others such as Miss Granger or your brothers."  
  
"Exactly, I was-er-less smart. So how could I of gotten more O.W.Ls?!" I demanded.  
  
"Note the words 'may of BEEN' and 'WAS'." He said.  
  
"You mean I'm suddenly brilliant?" I asked and snorted. "That is impossible. How on earth could I of suddenly of gotten smarter then Hermione and Percy and Bill?"  
  
"Cannot you think of anything that might of triggered your brain into becoming smarter?" He asked.  
  
"No." I said.  
  
"Nothing at all?"  
  
"No! I could of just gotten smarter! Nothing happ." I trailed off and sat back, blinking.  
  
"Ah." Dumbledore said, smiling.  
  
"You mean." I begun slowly, "because I died. I got. smarter?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then. what?" I asked.  
  
"How come you are alive again?" He asked.  
  
"Because of-because of the Stone?" I whispered.  
  
"Exactly. You'll find many strange things have happened to you because of the Stone." Dumbledore sat back and adjusted his half-moon spectacles before smiling again. "Many extremely strange things."  
  
"So. because I died and my spirit-er, life force was in the Stone and I was released I'm suddenly now smarter? I mean, a lot smarter?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly and straightened a pile of papers. "Yes."  
  
I stared out the window at the blue sky that was almost as pale as Dumbledore's eyes. Then I turned back to him. He was unwrapping some candy and offered me one. "Thanks." I took it and stared at it.  
  
"Lemon drop." He explained.  
  
"Umm." I popped it in my mouth and stood up. "Sir, I'm still baffled. I mean. the book said I'd have periods of studious behavior but. but. but."  
  
"But what?" Dumbledore asked, pulling two lemon drops apart.  
  
"I just. I. nothing." I finally sighed.  
  
"If you need to talk, Ron. My door is always open. Okay well after you go through the gargoyle."  
  
I smiled. "Thanks."  
  
"Come in." Dumbledore said as someone knocked on the door. Snape entered the room looking positively livid. I snorted and tried not to laugh as I saw his hair had been dyed gold and scarlet stripes. Dumbledore was smiling. "I see Professors Black, Lupin and Elm have been at it again."  
  
"That is why I want to talk to you." Snape glared at me.  
  
"Thanks again, Professor Dumbledore." I said and walked off. "Professor Snape." I said, nodding my head as I passed him. I waited till I was way past the gargoyle till I burst into loud laughter that echoed down the corridors.  
  
***  
  
"Move it. out of the way. I am coming through!!" A young girl hurtled through the halls, shoving robed figures out of the way. The girl stopped at a glowing green door and shoved it open. The room she had come into was pure white with a throne in the middle. The throne was worse then black. It seemed to be made out of swirling nothing.  
  
"So. you're alive." The figure on the throne sneered. He clutched a large black scepter in his hand with a green glowing stone on the top.  
  
"No thanks to you, Voldemort." Arva Dekadava staggered into the room angrily.  
  
"You Disapparated." Voldemort said, narrowing his slitted red eyes.  
  
"I just came back to tell you I am leaving your disgusting service and going on my own. I should of never joined you in the first place!"  
  
"Then leave. I have enough followers."  
  
"None as powerful as I, Voldemort." Arva said, clutching her ribs.  
  
"None as stupid. If you would of just killed without prolonging-"  
  
"PROLONGING?!" Arva screamed. "You accuse me of PROLONGING when here you are spending years plotting on getting revenge on that Potter boy?!" Her angry voice bounced off the white walls making it seem ten times louder. "you. worthless. piece. of SCUM!"  
  
Voldemort leapt to his feet and shoved his scepter towards the girls body. She was shoved by an invisible force and went flying across the room and crumbled to the ground. "Next time, don't call the dark lord worthless."  
  
"You are worthless." Arva said, staggering to her knees. She lifted her head and stared at him. "completely. and utterly. worthless."  
  
Voldemort waved his scepter and the girl went flying into a wall and slid to the ground. Blood trickled down over her right eye. "You enjoy giving people scars don't you?" She asked, wiping the blood from her face and standing up. "But ofcourse. you can't do anything more then that. that's why you send others to do the job for you."  
  
Voldemort was frozen for a moment. Nobody had ever talked to HIM like that. Voldemort slowly raised his scepter and the girl was slowly lifted into the air, her legs treading in it. "Can't do a job myself, can I?" He asked, eyes narrowing. He pulled back the scepter and the girl crashed to the ground. "Your parents were good Death Eaters. loyal. your father dying for me and your mother imprisoned. I had such high hopes for you. Goodbye, Arva. You sniveling little girl." He thrust the scepter forward and the girl screamed out as a large slit went down her front. Blood gushed from her like a waterfall and she fell to the ground, dead.  
  
Voldemort slowly sat back down and called in a Death Eater. "Yes my lord?" Ryan Lestrange entered the room.  
  
"Get somebody to clean that mess up." Voldemort sneered, indicating the crimson blood spreading across the floor.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
"Are you going to try out for a Chaser position?" I asked Ron, Saturday night as we started dinner.  
  
"Yep. With my Dragonfly I have a good probability." Ron said cheerfully, spreading butter on a piping hot roll. Just before he bit into the roll, the roll suddenly leapt from his hand and went scurrying across the floor. "What the-?" Ron demanded.  
  
The potato I was about to stab with my fork, suddenly jumped off and rolled across the table. Throughout the Great Hall, others had the same problem. Food was leaping from plates and scurrying, rolling and crawling across the floor and tables.  
  
"What is going on?!" Hermione demanded as her piece of roast beef spat gravy at her and flopped onto the floor.  
  
"What do you THINK?" Harry demanded, glancing at the teachers table where Sirius, Remus and Emerin were roaring with laughter.  
  
Dumbledore, who was laughing as well, waved his wand and more food appeared on the tables only this time it didn't run off.  
  
"I doubt we'll ever have a peaceful day with those three working here." Hermione said with a heavy sigh.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
I stared at the chess board then back up at the empty chair across from me. "Someone want to play me?" I asked.  
  
"Sure." I grinned as one of the First years, so totally clue less, hopped in the seat.  
  
"So, what's your name?" I asked as I put the pieces up.  
  
"Eugene Sandstone." He said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.  
  
"You like chess?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah." He said, looking at the board.  
  
"You good at chess?"  
  
"Yeah." He said with a smile.  
  
I sat back and watched him make his first move. 'Not good enough.' I thought as I moved a piece. He moved again, and I moved, taking a pawn. 'This is much better.' I continued thinking as I played against him. 'At least this is natural to me unlike my unanticipated smartness.'  
  
"You're good." Eugene said as I took another pawn.  
  
I just smiled.  
  
This was my thing. who cares about school? So what if I'm suddenly so smart I get one of the highest O.W.Ls in the history of this school? Who cares that I'm suddenly as famous as Harry in this school? Who cares that I'm suddenly as sharp as Hermione? That was not me. Chess is me.  
  
"Hmm." Eugene blinked and slowly started to move another piece.  
  
'Yes, Eugene. make that move. in three more moves I'll have you in check.' I thought, not revealing my intentions. Eugene moved his piece not even noticing.  
  
Yes. This was me.  
  
I am chess.  
  
"Check." I said a few moves later. Looking nervous, Eugene moved his king. I moved my queen. "Check." He moved his rook in the way. I took it with my castle. "Check." He moved his queen and I took it with mine. "Checkmate."  
  
"Oh man." He moaned, sitting back in his seat.  
  
"Another game?" I asked.  
  
"Nah. maybe Egg can take you on." He called over his twin sister, Eglantine, who took his place as I set the pieces. "Egg's better then me." Eugene informed me.  
  
"That's good." I said, smiling.  
  
"I'm really good." She said in a gloating sort of tone.  
  
"Mm." I replied and she made her first move.  
  
This is where I ruled supreme. I didn't get this from the Stone like I did my smartness, fame or now apple of my parents eyes. I don't care about those anywhere. Those. those aren't my true talents. Those are nothing. Those are because of the Stone, not because of who I am.  
  
Stupid Stone. sure it brought me back alive but now I had these talents that. they aren't me. I'd rather be back to the way I was. Not the boy who was raised from the dead. but as Ron Weasley- Chess King.  
  
"Checkmate." I said.  
  
"Oh man." Eglantine sighed, looking at Eugene.  
  
"Play again?"  
  
"Two against one." Eugene said, sitting with his sister.  
  
"Fine by me." I said. 'Chess King, I like that.' I thought as they did their opening move. 'Nothing but that. I wish I never got any stupid Divination powers.'  
  
It felt as though I was going to burst open any second. So much inside of me. affects from the Stone and everything else.  
  
I just wished it would all go away. I'd rather just be myself. 'How could I not see it before? I did see it but not clearly enough.'  
  
I knew Harry didn't want his fame. That he didn't want to be known for something he couldn't even remember. I looked at the board with a blank expression. I was going to win in the next six moves. I could see it so easily. this was when I felt the most at ease. Chess.  
  
I clenched my teeth. Stupid Stone giving me stupid powers. why couldn't I of just been returned to normal?  
  
It was not fair. these stupid new talents. A lie. That is what it was. A big, fat lie.  
  
The twins moved their knight and I moved my castle. Five more moves and I won. So apparent. how could the twins not see it?  
  
I was the Chess King. Nobody could beat me.  
  
Yes, this was my true talent. And no Stone could ever do anything about that. I didn't have any real smartness. That was an affect from the Stone. I didn't have true fame. That was from the Stone. My brothers are still better then me. My parents only notice me now because of the Stone. But chess is what I truly have. I have the board, and I know the pieces. I know the moves and I see the patterns. I have the plan, and the strategy. I can wait.  
  
I looked up and smiled at the twins. "Checkmate."  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
"What is up with Ron?" Hermione demanded.  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  
  
Hermione jabbed her finger over at Ron who was playing chess against himself. "He has been doing NOTHING but playing chess since Saturday!"  
  
"He HAS been acting awfully weird." Jasmine said, blowing a large bubble with her bubble gum.  
  
I glanced over my book at him. His face looked deep in thought as he speedily moved the pieces. I stuck my book in my backpack and went over. "Who's winning?"  
  
Ron jumped and looked at me. "God, Peg! You alarmed me!"  
  
"Sorry." I said, sitting in a seat and watching him play. "You're good." I said as he beat himself.  
  
"Thank you." He said cheerfully.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts."  
  
"Penny?" He asked.  
  
"Muggle American money. Plus its a phrase. It means. whatcha thinking?"  
  
"I'm thinking about chess." He replied.  
  
"Oh? What about chess?"  
  
"I'll tell you if you play." He said.  
  
"All right." We set up the pieces and began playing. "So.?"  
  
"Chess is remarkable." He said, staring at the board.  
  
"Is that all?" I asked, moving a pawn.  
  
"Its all strategy." He replied and moved a castle. "Oh and make that move and I got you checkmated in seven more moves." He said as I started to move a bishop.  
  
"Okay." I said and moved another pawn.  
  
"Hey aren't you that guy who died?" A First year asked Ron.  
  
"Yep, I'm a zombie." He said then looked up at the kid. "BOO!"  
  
"MOMMY!" The kid screamed and ran off.  
  
"Sheesh, Ron." I said but was giggling.  
  
"Everyone in school knows me." Ron said, staring at me with deep brown eyes. "because I died and am alive again."  
  
"Oh." I said quietly, feeling rather nervous under his stare.  
  
"And my death made me smart."  
  
"I doubt that."  
  
"What?" He asked and I looked back up at him.  
  
"Ron. 'death' did make you smart."  
  
"Oh? Then how come I know what adroit means? And why did I get thirteen O.W.Ls?" He demanded rather harshly.  
  
"Ron. look in front of you." I said and he looked at the board. "what do you see?"  
  
"A chessboard."  
  
"Look at the pieces." I said and he looked. "how many more moves before you win?"  
  
Ron blinked and looked at me. "Five."  
  
"Ron. you could do this easily before, right?"  
  
"Yes. Its all I had. Its all I have." He corrected himself.  
  
"Listen." I grabbed his hand and held it tightly. "Ron. death didn't make you smart. Chess. chess is one of the most complicated games ever. It takes a true genius to become a master such as yourself. And you were a master before. Something triggered your true brain power and released it to more fields then this."  
  
Ron blinked and continued staring at me. "So you're saying that. because I'm good at chess, I'm good at school."  
  
"Chess genius and school genius are different things."  
  
"Then how come I got thirteen O.W.Ls?" He asked.  
  
"Maybe you COULD get good grades before but. but."  
  
"Death made me smart." He said and sat back.  
  
I sighed and stood up. "Ron, dying may of had something to do with most of it. It triggered your brain power into releasing your smartness into other fields then chess. But either way you are a chess mastermind. Always have been, always will. And to me that is better then school smartness." Shaking my head, I turned. "See you later, Bobby Fischer." I mumbled before walking off. 


	8. The Reunion

CHAPTER EIGHT- The Reunion  
  
Obviously what I had told Ron cheered him up. He wasn't playing chess every waking non-schooling moment. And it was then when he saw the poster for this year's Fall Ball.  
  
"Damn, another one?" He asked.  
  
"Yep." I said, deeply into my book.  
  
"Damn, damn, double-"  
  
"Ron! Quit that!" Hermione snapped.  
  
Ron blinked at her and sat next to me. "Whatcha reading?" He asked, looking over my shoulder.  
  
"Hairy Snout, Human Heart." I replied, holding up the cover. "Its really sad. its by an anonymous author about his battle with lycanthropy." I said, sniffling slightly.  
  
"With what?" He asked.  
  
"It means he was a werewolf." Hermione explained.  
  
"It is so sad." I said and shut it, wiping my eyes. "you should read it."  
  
"Where'd you get it? Library?" Ron asked.  
  
"I guess its there but Remus lent me this copy." I said, putting the book in my backpack.  
  
"Hmm." Harry said.  
  
"Hi Harry!" A bunch of girls giggled as they passed us.  
  
"Ah the fun's already began." I smirked as Harry got a dark look over his face.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Why don't we go to the library?" Hermione suggested.  
  
"Let's not and say we did." Ron said.  
  
Hermione scowled at him. "How about we go visit Hagrid?" I asked so we got our stuff and headed to the front doors.  
  
Almost every girl we passed giggled and waved at Harry who was desperately trying to ignore them. "Honestly." Hermione said as it happened for the zillionth time.  
  
"Jealous?" Harry asked rather bitterly.  
  
Hermione was in quite a bad mood by the time we got outside. "Wait, Harry, we're supposed to have-well, YOU are supposed to have a teacher with you." Hermione said as we got out on the front steps.  
  
"I'll be fine." Harry said and we crossed across the grounds to Hagrid's Hut.  
  
"Who is it?" He asked after we knocked on the door.  
  
"It's us." Harry called.  
  
"Just a moment." He said and a few minutes later, he opened the door.  
  
"Peggy! Hi, hi, hi!" His huge boarhound, Fang, greeted me. He leapt onto me, knocking me to the ground and began licking my face. I laughed and somehow managed to push him off.  
  
"Dog drool all over my face." I giggled and went to his sink to wash it off.  
  
"I bin wonderin' when you'd come visit me." He said as the others sat down.  
  
"Its been a busy two weeks." Harry said as he poured them tea. I finished washing my face and sat down.  
  
"What have you been up to besides teaching?" Ron asked.  
  
"Oh, nothin'." Hagrid said quietly.  
  
"He's been acting weird!" Fang informed me, putting his head on my leg. I scratched behind his ear but pretended not to hear him. I didn't really want anyone to know I was a Canismouth. Actually, I was more of a Mammaliamouth, which means I had the ability to talk to any mammal, but dogs came in the clearest. I could perfectly understand every word they said and I couldn't block them out like I could other mammals so I called myself a Canismouth.  
  
So while Ron, Harry, Hermione and Hagrid conversed, Fang continued on. "He keeps muttering stuff to himself and pacing in circles when he should be asleep. And the other day." Fang seemed to nearly be in tears. "he. he forgot to feed me dinner!"  
  
I hardly thought this was that bad but Fang was a dog and to dogs it was the worst thing in the world if their human ignored them, or forgot to feed them. To them it was like stabbing a knife in their poor hearts. I gave Fang some treacle fudge Hagrid gave me.  
  
"Mmmgmpmlmalmlmglmpgmlgm." Fang continued.  
  
I scratched him behind the ears and tuned back into the conversation. ". strange happening luckily." Harry finished.  
  
"That's... good..." Hagrid said slowly.  
  
"What? What is it?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Its not that important... its jus'... bin seeing some more snakes..."  
  
"More snakes?" Harry asked nervously.  
  
"Yeah... not like last year. These look more like they're huntin' in the Ferbidden Forest. I saw one draggin couple o' mice back to the castle like there's a nest there or sumthin." Hagrid said.  
  
"I'll have to check it out." Harry said slowly.  
  
"Mmhmahlmlm aaahhh better." Fang said, finally getting his jaw unstuck.  
  
"What teacher did yeh get to take yeh over here?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Er, um... McGonagall." Harry lied. I rolled my eyes and turned down to Fang who was licking my hand. "McGonagall?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Yeah." Harry said.  
  
Ron and Hermione rolled their eyes then looked as Fang went over to them. Fang put his paws on Ron's legs and licked his chin. "McGonagall, hmm." Hagrid said slowly. "Don' see 'er."  
  
"Yeah she, uh, left... before we knocked on the door." Harry said.  
  
Hagrid was peering out the window. "Its gettin' dark. I better take yeh four back to the castle."  
  
"Okay then." Hermione said, pushing Fang from her.  
  
Hagrid took us across the grounds and back into the castle where Peeves, the poltergeist, was waiting with his arms full of balloons. "Go away, Peeves." We all said.  
  
Peeves blew a raspberry and threw the balloons at us. I pulled out my wand and pointed. "Reverso!" The balloons turned and chased Peeves down the hall.  
  
"Nice one, Peg." Ron said, grinning.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"See ya Hagrid!" We called and headed to the common room.  
  
"Was it just me, or was Hagrid acting odd?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It wasn't just you." Ron assured her. Hermione, in turn, said nothing. She was still angry over the fact Ron got thirteen O.W.Ls and was hardly speaking to him.  
  
"Hi Harry!" A bunch of girls passing giggled, waving to him.  
  
Harry continued walking straight ahead, ignoring them. He glared at Ron who had started snickering. "Shut up."  
  
"Are you going to ask anyone?" He asked.  
  
"I dunno..." Harry said with a shrug.  
  
"What about Cho Chang?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry went beet red. "Shut up. Who're you going to ask?"  
  
"I dunno." Ron replied with a shrug.  
  
"Are you going?" I asked Hermione.  
  
"No." She said with a slight smile.  
  
"What're you grinning at?" I asked.  
  
"I'll tell you later."  
  
"Peggy... perchance you'd like to go with me?" Ron asked, rather hopefully.  
  
"I don't know..." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I dunno if I want to go..."  
  
Ron looked quite crestfallen. "Er... well, okay..."  
  
I smiled. "Okay, okay. I'll go with you." And Ron cheered up considerably.  
  
*** (Remus's point of view)  
  
I watched out the window at Harry and his friends being led back into the castle by Hagrid. After they disappeared in, I went back to my desk and sat down. I looked over the pile of homework paper and sighed heavily.  
  
I glanced up at a knock on my door. "Who is it?"  
  
"Doctor."  
  
"Doctor who?"  
  
"That's right!" Sirius said, laughing as he opened the door.  
  
"Hey Padfoot." I said rather wearily.  
  
"Hey Moony, you look tired."  
  
"I am." I said, watching him as he flopped onto a chair.  
  
"But, it's only a first quarter moon. You're usually never tired for a few more days." Sirius said, looking rather worried.  
  
"Oh, don't worry. I'm fine." I assured him.  
  
"Good." He said, brushing back some hair.  
  
"Is there something you wanted?"  
  
"I was wondering if you'd like to join me in a nighttime marauding." He said with a grin.  
  
"Sorry, Padfoot. I don't feel like it."  
  
"Okay, Remus. What is up with you lately? You're like... totally turning into an old man!" Sirius said, leaning forward. "Dumbledore is more active then you!"  
  
"Dumbledore is more active then everyone." I reminded him.  
  
"Oh yeah!" Sirius said with a grin. "Crazy old nutter. So, what's wrong?"  
  
"Do you ever wondered what happened to the others?" I asked.  
  
Sirius's face fell slightly. "Oh... is that what's wrong?"  
  
"I was just... you know, wondering what ever happened to the others." I said.  
  
"You mean, what ever happened to Sapphire." He said slowly. I scowled and he sighed. "Remus..."  
  
"Sirius, I just... you know... wonder." I said, sitting back in my chair and looking at my huge framed photo of the Marauders. "I wonder if they ever wonder about us."  
  
"Don't worry, little buddy. I've always wondered about you." Sirius said and I burst into laughter.  
  
"Oh shut up, Padfoot, unless you want to be turned into a tadpole."  
  
"I wouldn't mind."  
  
"And I'm sure you wouldn't." I said with a smile. I glanced back up at the photo.  
  
"Remus... why don't you ask Albus? He knows like... everything. He might know where she is." Sirius suggested.  
  
"Why don't you ask about Pixie then?"  
  
Sirius scowled. "Because-well-that's not the point!" I sat back in my chair, arms folded. "Remus... I don't... I don't-"  
  
"You don't want to get back in touch with her in case she's married and has kids." I said.  
  
Sirius scowled again. "Well-" He sputtered out "that's the only reason you don't want to find out about Sapphire!" He demanded.  
  
"You're right," I said and straightened the papers on my desk, "and I'm man enough to admit it."  
  
"That's it, moon-boy, I'm leaving." He snapped and left.  
  
Shaking my head, I began reading the homework, trying with all my might not to look back up at Sapphire.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"What?" I asked in shock.  
  
"I can't find them anywhere." Jason replied, floating over to me.  
  
I stared at him. "Well... they might of just... not come...?"  
  
"Jasmine, I think something happened to them." Jason said, eyes wide.  
  
"They're dead. What can happen to dead people?" I demanded rather bitterly.  
  
"Well a while ago, one of our ghosts was petrified." He said with a shrug.  
  
"Nearly Headless Nick, yeah I know..." I stared at the ghost a moment then shook my head. Jason Weasley, a dead relative of Ron's, had just informed me that for the longest time, my parent's spirits had been missing.  
  
"Want me to keep looking?"  
  
"Only if you want, Jason." I said.  
  
Jason nodded and floated off. I turned back to the mirror and stared at my reflection. After fixing my hair, I went down the stairs and into the common room where my brother and the others were arriving back from who knows where.  
  
"Where you going, Jasmine?" Harry asked.  
  
"Somewhere. Where were you?"  
  
"Visiting Hagrid. You're meeting Malfoy. Aren't you?" Harry asked.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." I said and left the common room. I went through the corridors till I got to the empty classroom Draco and I always met in. He was waiting for me, holding a yellow acacia. When we had been forbidden to see each other, that had been our flower since it meant 'secret love'.  
  
"Hello." He said, eyes lighting up as I shut the door behind me.  
  
"Hi." I said. He walked over and kissed my forehead.  
  
"Are we going to the dance?"  
  
"If you want." I said.  
  
"Ofcourse I want."  
  
"Then we will." I said and giggled as he kissed my cheek.  
  
"I've missed you."  
  
"You saw me in Potions class earlier." I giggled as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.  
  
"I still have missed you."  
  
I smiled and leaned against him. "And I have missed you..."  
  
***  
  
"Okay, the whole world has gone nutters." Ron said as he, Harry, Hermione, Jasmine and Peggy walked down the corridors that Friday.  
  
"Why is that?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"It seems a lot of the teachers are acting so weird." Ron said with a shrug.  
  
"Enlighten us with what you mean." Hermione said.  
  
"Hi Harry!" A bunch of girls giggled.  
  
"Well... McGonagall's been really contented. A lot happier then she was last year when she was happy." With this, Ron and Peggy cast glances at each other, wondering if McGonagall's mysterious man was starting up with trying to win her over again. "then, Snape's been meaner then ever-"  
  
"Three of his old enemies are teaching here, Ron." Harry pointed out.  
  
"True... but have you noticed THEM? Well, not Emerin, but Sirius's been acting weird... and Remus has been acting... er..." Ron trailed off, "well. pardon the pun but Remus has been acting... moony."  
  
"Yeah... you know, the three of them haven't been doing real big tricks or pranks lately." Harry said.  
  
"You can ask them what's up right now. Here the two come." Peggy said. They looked up as Sirius and Remus walked down the hall, whispering in low voices to each other.  
  
"Hi guys." Harry said.  
  
The two stopped and looked up. "Hi kids." They chorused.  
  
It may of just been Harry, but he seemed to think Remus looked more tired then normal. But that could have to do with the fact it was going to be a full moon pretty soon. "What's up?" Harry asked.  
  
"Not much." Sirius said with a shrug.  
  
"You look like you could do with a nap." Harry informed Remus.  
  
"Told you I wouldn't be the only noticing." Sirius snapped at Remus who shrugged.  
  
"Its okay. I'm fine."  
  
"Remus I don't want you getting sick, not with a full moon coming up." Jasmine said.  
  
"I'm fine, Jasmine." Remus assured his goddaughter.  
  
"Remus." Jasmine said, folding her arms.  
  
"I'm fine!" He insisted.  
  
"Maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey."  
  
"I'm f- Sirius stop laughing." Remus growled as Sirius began laughing.  
  
"Sorry its just funny." Sirius snickered.  
  
"Jasmine, honey, I'm fine."  
  
"No you're not."  
  
"SIRIUS!" Remus yelled, smacking Sirius upside the head after he said that.  
  
"Remus what's wrong?" Jasmine asked nervously.  
  
Remus turned back to her. "Its nothing, really. I've just been... tired."  
  
"Remus Lupin, if something is wrong with you bloody well better tell me!" Jasmine shrieked.  
  
"Jasmine I am FINE. It is nothing bad! The only serious problem have is a Sirius problem." Remus said, glaring at Sirius who gave an innocent look.  
  
"Okay..." Jasmine said, still looking doubtful.  
  
"We better get going. We only have five more minutes before they go off." Sirius said, checking his watch.  
  
"Yeah. See you kids!" Remus said and they walked off.  
  
"I don't even want to know what is going to be going off." Harry muttered.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
Saturday, the Gryffindor Sixth year girls were using the Hogsmeade trip to look at dress robes. I didn't want to but the others convinced me.  
  
Jasmine, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Hermione, Rose Jacobson and I went into the Robes shop. If Amy Robinson had been here she'd be forcing me to try on a million dress robes.  
  
Amy had been killed but hardly anyone knew that. Everyone thought she just transferred out of Hogwarts. After I had convinced Harry and Hermione that I wasn't in the cave, they told me that some guy in a Animagus hawk form killed her for she was a servant for Voldemort.  
  
"Look at this!" Parvati said and held up blood red dress robes to herself.  
  
"You'd look nice in those." Lavender said, glancing at darker red dress robes.  
  
"I think I'll go to the Three Broomsticks." I said, inching from the clothes.  
  
"No you will not." Jasmine said.  
  
I sighed heavily and looked at Hermione. "What are you doing here? You're not going to the dance."  
  
"Yes I am." She said.  
  
"I thought you weren't." I said, frowning.  
  
"Oh..." Hermione giggled. "I am."  
  
"With who?" Lavender asked.  
  
"You'll see."  
  
"Oh these will look great on me! Then again anything does." Rose said, grabbing deep, deep yellow dress robes.  
  
I rolled my eyes and sat back in a chair watching the girls go through robes. "Peggy! Here!" Jasmine held up dark forest green dress robes.  
  
"No."  
  
"You need to get some dress robes!" Lavender said.  
  
"My old ones are fine."  
  
"Peggy."  
  
"Okay fine! I'll get the stupid dress robes." I grumbled. I found my size and bought it then went to the Three Broomsticks where Harry and Ron were.  
  
"You look happy." Harry said.  
  
"The girls made me buy some dress roes." I said, dropping the package and sighing. Ron pushed a Butterbeer over to me. "Thanks. Did you know Hermione is going to the dance?"  
  
"She is? I thought she wasn't." Ron said.  
  
"Me, too. I thought she wasn't..." I shrugged and sipped the Butterbeer. "and she won't tell me who she's going with."  
  
"Hey Peggy, look! That woman looks a little like you." Harry said as a woman came in.  
  
I stared at her. She had red-brown hair, my color, that waved down a little past her shoulders. She was tall and lanky but with more curves. Her eyes were a sparkling deep brown, though, and her features not as sharp. She was wearing tight jeans and a gray sweatshirt with a hood and kangaroo pouch.  
  
"Oh my gosh." I whispered and leapt up. "That's my AUNT!" I shrieked.  
  
"Peggy?!" My aunt whirled around in surprise. "Peggy! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hanging around. What are YOU doing here?" I asked.  
  
"Looking for some old friends." She said and looked at Harry and Ron. "Hello."  
  
"You look familiar." Harry said.  
  
"So do you." My aunt said with a smile.  
  
"What... old friends are you looking for?" Harry asked slowly.  
  
"Oh... just friends." She said with a shrug, her slender shoulders rising and falling.  
  
"Why don't you sit down?" I asked.  
  
"Okay, sure. Maybe for a moment." She said and sat down at the table. She ordered a beer and sipped it after Madame Rosmerta brought it. "Hogsmeade visit, hmm? I remember those."  
  
"You look so familiar..." Harry said, peering at her.  
  
"Hello? She and Peggy look a lot alike." Ron said.  
  
Harry shook his head. "I dunno... you just seem familiar..."  
  
"Well so do you." My aunt said with a vague smile.  
  
"Aunt Trixie... what are you doing here?" I asked, watching as she chugged down the last of her beer.  
  
"I told you," she said, wiping her mouth off, "looking for old friends. Professor Albus Dumbledore got in contact with me."  
  
"What about your work in Africa?" I asked.  
  
"It can wait."  
  
"My aunt is a magizoologist." I explained.  
  
"I was doing some extensive research on Fwoopers." She said, ordering another beer.  
  
"Fwoopers?" Harry and Ron asked.  
  
"Brilliantly colored birds, gorgeous but if you listen to their songs for too long it'll drive you insane." My aunt explained, wiping a hand off on her jeans. "Not much is known about the way they raise their babies in the wild. For the longest of time, nobody thought they did. They thought that the Fwoopers just laid their eggs and abandoned them in the nest because that's what they do in captivity. But-" My aunts eyes sparkled as she pulled a bunch of stuff from her backpack. "I have found proof they don't."  
  
They were mostly photos. There was a Fwooper mother with her wing around three little ones. "They're pretty." I said.  
  
"Gorgeous. Me and my partner are trying to figure out why they abandon the babies in captivity. My theory is Fwoopers know if their babies are going to be safe or not. In the wild the babies, ofcourse, wouldn't so they protect them till they're older but in the captivity ofcourse they would be safe." My aunt took a deep breath and chugged some more beer. "But that's just my theory. Here." She dropped a bunch of colored quills on the table. "You can have these."  
  
"Thanks." I said and we each picked one from the rainbow array. My aunt put the rest back in her backpack along with the photos and papers.  
  
"Then I got a letter from Albus and I decided to come back to England for a little visit."  
  
"What did the letter say?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing, really. I have a question." Trixie turned to Harry. "Is it true that Sirius Black is innocent?"  
  
"Yes." Harry said.  
  
My aunt sat back in her chair, rubbing her chin. "Imagine that. And his victim, Peter Pettigrew, was the real killer?"  
  
"Yeah." Ron said.  
  
"I wonder... that's amazing. Its just... well I knew them in school. Peter never seemed to be the type who would be the faster at dueling..."  
  
"You knew Sirius and Peter?" Harry asked and sat forward slightly. "Then you would of known my parents."  
  
"I did. That's why I said you were so familiar." My aunt said with a smile.  
  
"Oh. I thought that was because-"  
  
"You are Harry Potter. Well actually that IS why you were familiar but that's not the point." My aunt said with a laugh and chugged the rest of her beer and slammed the glass down. "Anyway, I got to go."  
  
"Will I see you again?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, I might be sticking around. I can do a lot of my research from the things I got." My aunt said, wiping her mouth off and standing up.  
  
"Oh, can't we visit a while longer? I haven't seen you in two years." I said.  
  
My aunt laughed and rested her hand on my head. "Oh all right. Why don't we go to Honeydukes? I could do with a bit of chocolate."  
  
"Cool." Ron said so we got our things and went to the candy store.  
  
"God I haven't been here for years..." My aunt said, looking around the store. "Cocoa!"  
  
"Trixie?" Cocoa Black, a black woman who built amazing chocolate models, whirled around.  
  
"Hey Cocoa! Long time no see."  
  
"Right back at you. Heard you were doing some animal stuff in Africa?"  
  
"Yep." My aunt said cheerfully.  
  
"You know each other?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah, Cocoa was a Seventh year when I went to school. Started work here in my Third year." Trixie said with a smile.  
  
"I remember you and your girl gang gave us quite a few raids." Cocoa giggled.  
  
"Oh yeah. We were always trying to outdo the Marauders." My aunt said.  
  
"That was my dads gang!" Harry said.  
  
"I know... the Marauders... his gang and my gang, the Shamrocks, were rival gangs in school. Well, I say 'my' gang... it was really a four-way gang. Which is why we were named the Shamrocks." My aunt explained with a smile.  
  
"Hi guys, I thought I saw you come in." Jasmine said as she and Hermione appeared, carrying packages.  
  
"Hi guys." We replied.  
  
"This is my Aunt Trixie." I said.  
  
My aunt smiled at Jasmine. "You look like your mother."  
  
"I've been told." Jasmine said with a smile. After we bought a bunch of candy, we went outside.  
  
"Well, I better get going. I-" My aunt stopped talking and walking.  
  
"What is it?" I asked.  
  
"I..." Trixie trailed off. I followed her gaze and saw Sirius, Remus and Emerin, They were bent over something in Emerin's arms (that looked like a lot like a firecracker) and walking.  
  
Harry noticed what she was looking at, too, because he glanced at her and asked, "Those the old friends you were looking for?"  
  
My aunt didn't reply. She stood stock still, staring at them. "Oh God." She finally whispered.  
  
The three were still walking then looked up. "Hey kids." They said then froze.  
  
They stared at my aunt who stared straight back. "Oh my God." Emerin whispered.  
  
No one moved, no one spoke, and hardly anyone breathed. "Pixie?" Sirius finally asked.  
  
My aunt shoved her hands in her kangaroo pouch and tossed back her hair. "Hello Padfoot."  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
I looked at them in confusion then realized where I had seen Peggy's aunt. She was one of the girls in Remus's photo.  
  
"PIXIE?!" Sirius repeated.  
  
Trixie smiled at him. "Nice to see you again, Padfoot."  
  
"Hey Trixie." Remus and Emerin said.  
  
"Hi guys."  
  
"Is it really you?" Sirius whispered.  
  
"Last time I checked."  
  
Sirius walked slowly forward till he was pretty close to Trixie. "Oh my God Trixie."  
  
"Can you say anything else?" She asked and Sirius laughed.  
  
"I just... I can't believe its... why are you here?"  
  
"I got a letter."  
  
"Remus!" Sirius screamed, whirling towards Remus.  
  
"Oh, put the finger of blame on me?! I didn't do it!"  
  
"Liar!"  
  
"Sirius, Remus didn't write me it was Albus Dumbledore."  
  
"Dumbledore? But how could he of... REMUS!" Sirius then tackled Remus and the two rolled on the road, wrestling.  
  
"I didn't do anything!"  
  
"Yes you did I saw you!"  
  
"BOYS!" Trixie screamed. "C'mon, Ember, help me." The two girls grabbed Sirius and Remus and pulled them apart.  
  
"Will you two ever grow up?" Emerin asked.  
  
"He started it." Both chorused, pointing at each other.  
  
Emerin and Trixie burst into laughter. "They'll never change. Will they?" Trixie asked.  
  
"God forbid." Emerin shaking her head. "Wait... Remus, you said that that photo was of the old gang... but you, Miss er... uh..."  
  
"Just call me Trixie."  
  
"But Trixie just told me that your gang and the one she was in were rival gangs." I said.  
  
"They were... but you know, we eventually joined in... what was it, our Fifth year?" Trixie asked.  
  
"Fourth." Emerin explained.  
  
"So we became one big gang. Oh, we continued our little quartets and fought that way but we were still joined as one." Remus explained.  
  
"Quartets? I thought there were nine of you in that photo..." I said.  
  
"There were. Mac didn't really belong to any gang but was a friend to us all. He joined when we all became one gang." Trixie said.  
  
Sirius was too busy staring at her to notice anything else. "God, Trixie, I can't believe you're back."  
  
"Believe it." Trixie said with a smile.  
  
"How long are you staying?" Emerin asked.  
  
"Dunno... depends what all I can get out from the information I gathered... I'll probably have to return to Africa in a few weeks. Five. maybe six." Trixie said.  
  
"You can't stay longer?" Sirius asked, rather hopefully.  
  
"No. My place is in Africa-"  
  
"Your place is with us, Pixie." Emerin growled.  
  
"Well what about the others? Sapphire and Mac? I don't see them here." Trixie said rather harshly.  
  
"Maybe we should find them, then." Emerin snapped back.  
  
"You go ahead." Trixie said and turned to Peggy, kissing her forehead. "I'll see you later. It was nice seeing you again." She informed the others before whisking off.  
  
"Trixie, wait!" Sirius yelled, running after her.  
  
"Yes?" She asked, turning.  
  
"You can't leave... not yet..." He begged, holding her hands tightly.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sirius... the past is behind us..." She said, pulling her hands away from him and walking off.  
  
Sirius stood there, unmoving, watching her leave. "Is he okay?" I asked Remus who was looking pretty shaken too.  
  
"Damn you, Trixie! You'll realize your place is here!" Emerin was shrieking, jumping up and down and looking more like an imp then ever.  
  
"Sirius will be fine..." Remus said, an odd look on his face.  
  
"Remus?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"Its a long story." Remus said quietly, shaking his head. "Sirius?" He called.  
  
"How could she do that...?" Sirius whispered, turning. His face was white and he looked extremely upset. "How could she just... turn her back on us?"  
  
"She's still upset..." Remus said and looked at Emerin who was still shrieking. He grabbed her arm.  
  
"That little... ugh! I can't believe...!! She'll be back."  
  
"I hope so..." Remus mumbled, forgetting we were there, "for Sirius's sake."  
  
"Remus..." Emerin said and nodded at us.  
  
"Er-right we better get going..." Remus pulled Sirius's arm and the three left.  
  
"That was weird." Hermione said.  
  
"Its obvious." Peggy said.  
  
"What is?" Ron asked.  
  
"Sirius is keen on your aunt, isn't he?" Jasmine asked Peggy who nodded.  
  
"Yeah. I'm guessing they liked each other... maybe were dating when... you know, everything happened." Peggy said.  
  
"Maybe... but why was Remus so distraught?" Ron asked. By now I had gotten used to his... actually intellectual words.  
  
"I dunno... we'll figure it out later." Peggy mumbled.  
  
"Let's go back to Hogwarts." Jasmine suggested.  
  
"Good idea." Hermione said so we began walking back to the castle, the days events pouring through my mind. 


	9. And So The Fun Begins

CHAPTER NINE- And So The Fun Begins  
  
Over the next week, Sirius was acting extremely odd. He seemed extremely quiet, and subdued. Which made Harry worry big time. Checking his map, he saw the dot labeled Sirius heading through the passage to Honeydukes often.  
  
When Remus was out during the full moon, Snape took over the job and once more he was positively awful.  
  
Finally it was the Fall Ball. Harry wasn't going to go cause he couldn't (or wouldn't) find a date. "How do I look?" Ron asked, inspecting himself. He was wearing his deep brown robes that matched his eyes.  
  
"Great." Harry muttered.  
  
"Well. bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Ron went down the stairs and into the common room, waiting for Peggy who soon appeared wearing form-fitting deep forest green dress robes. Her hair had been pulled up in a bun on top of her head with a few curled tendrils hanging down on either side of her face.  
  
"You look ravishing." Ron said, staring at her. Over the summer she had gotten a bit curvier.  
  
"Thanks." Peggy said, blushing under his stare. "You look handsome."  
  
"Thank you." He mumbled and took her arm. The two went down to the Great Hall's entrance where they saw Jasmine and Malfoy.  
  
Jasmine was wearing form-fitting white dress robes with her hair pulled up in a tight bun on the top of her head. Ron goggled at her. Apparently, Harry hadn't seen her in those dress robes for if he had, he would of refused to let her go out.  
  
Malfoy had finally gotten new dress robes. His were still black but without the high collar. "Hi guys." Jasmine said cheerfully.  
  
"Hi Jasmine. Hi Draco." Peggy said.  
  
"Hi Jasmine." Ron said, ignoring Malfoy.  
  
Soon the great doors opened and they went in. The Hall was decorated the same as the last fall ball.  
  
There were red, brown, yellow and mixes of all those colors of leaves drifting down from the ceiling. They disappeared as soon as they touched the ground. There were four live trees in each corner, with the fall leaf colors. Only this time they were four oaks instead of maple trees. There was a stack of bales of hay against part of one wall, with a few baskets of apples on it. The five tables were gone. Instead, around the four walls were round tables leaving a large dance area in the middle. Each table had a red or golden tablecloth on it with a small basket of either apples or leaves in the middle of them for centerpieces. The air even smelled of autumn, like the previous year.  
  
Ron and Peggy sat at a table by themselves while Jasmine and Malfoy sat at another once, since Malfoy refused to sit with Ron. "He is such a smeghead." Ron grumbled.  
  
"Oh shut up." Peggy said, looking around at the beautiful fallness.  
  
"Hey look." Ron nodded at another table where Sirius, Remus and Emerin were gathered around, in one of the corners. Sirius was looking quite upset.  
  
"My aunt never once mentioned she knew them. Sirius and Harry's parents, I mean." Peggy said, watching them. Sirius was wearing dark, dark midnight blue robes while Remus wore soft grayish blue robes and Emerin's dress robes were the color of fire when its blue. With her hair, it looked as if she was on fire.  
  
"Sirius looks pretty perturbed." Ron said, glancing at his face.  
  
"Yeah... I wonder how close he and my aunt were..." Peggy trailed off and shook her head, turning back to Ron. Then the feast began. When it was over, couples went out to the floor to dance. Ron and Peggy remained at their table, just watching everyone. They watched as Emerin tried to engage Sirius into dancing, and after he point-out refused, she and Remus whisked onto the dance floor.  
  
"Why don't we go keep him company?" Ron suggested so the two made their way over to the table.  
  
"Oh, hey kids. You look nice." Sirius said when they sat down.  
  
"Thanks." They chorused.  
  
"How come you're not dancing?" He asked.  
  
"I detest dancing." Ron said.  
  
"Ditto. How come you aren't?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Don't feel like it." Sirius said with a shrug.  
  
"Then I won't ask you." Said a soft voice from behind them. They all turned and saw Trixie standing there. Her hair had been clipped back with barrettes and she was wearing swishy blue dress robes, just two shades lighter then Sirius's.  
  
"Aunt Trixie." Peggy said.  
  
"Trixie? What are you doing here?" Sirius sputtered out, nearly falling backwards in his chair in surprise. "I thought you-I mean you said-when you had walked off-why did you-"  
  
Trixie laughed and sat down. "Yes, well... I shouldn't of done that."  
  
"Why did you?" Sirius asked quietly.  
  
"I..." Trixie trailed off and glanced at Ron and Peggy.  
  
"Er, c'mon Peg." Ron grabbed her and pulled her away.  
  
"Ron! I want to hear what they're saying!" Peggy said.  
  
"Peggy! It sounds really personal." Peggy folded her arms and stared at Ron. "Fine, whatever." They backtracked and ducked behind the oak tree barely a foot away from the two.  
  
"I should of never left England." Trixie was saying.  
  
"Its understandable why you did." Sirius replied.  
  
"I am so sorry, Padfoot I... I can't believe how stupid I was. Believing you were the one who-who-" Trixie trailed off and blinked back tears.  
  
"Pixie, its okay. I understand..." Sirius said, holding her hands.  
  
"I just... it seemed to hit me you know? I mean... Lily and James being killed... then you supposedly the one to betray us and kill Wormtail and being sent to Azkaban... I just couldn't... I mean... it was..." Trixie burst into tears and Sirius pulled her close, hugging her. "I was stupid."  
  
"No you weren't... Ember and Sapphire and Mac all left, too..."  
  
"Sapphire...?! Sapphire left?!" Trixie shrieked, pulling back.  
  
Sirius nodded and glanced over to where Remus and Emerin were dancing. "Yeah... Remus told me about a year ago..."  
  
"Does he know why?" Trixie whispered.  
  
"She left a note. All it said was she couldn't take it, she couldn't stay there after everything that had happened, and that she loved him very much and hoped one day he understand."  
  
"How could she-oh my God, poor guy..." Trixie mumbled.  
  
"Yeah well... that was a crazy, crazy week... he had told me everything. You know... first finding out about James and Lily... then hearing the news of me and Wormtail... and then Sapphire leaving, and you and Ember and Mac..."  
  
With this Trixie burst into tears again. "I should of never left. I was such an idiot!!"  
  
"Trixie stop beating yourself up. Its in the past and nothing you can do can change it." Sirius hugged her tightly again.  
  
"I am so sorry... I should-I should of stayed..."  
  
"Trixie..." The two sat there a moment, hugging, before they pulled apart. Sirius ran his hand down Trixie's cheek. "I have an idea... why don't we show these lolligaggers how to really dance?"  
  
"Perfect idea, Padfoot." Trixie giggled.  
  
She waited while Sirius ran up to the DJ and told the request. Swing music began playing and Sirius returned. "Shall we dance?"  
  
"I'd love to." Trixie took his hand and the two went off onto the dance floor.  
  
Ron and Peggy got out from behind the three and watched as the crowd formed a circle around the dancers as they swing danced.  
  
"Crazy baby." Emerin giggled, she and Remus near Ron and Peggy.  
  
"C'mon, Emerin, we can't let those two out-dance us!" Remus said.  
  
"Now you're getting it!" Emerin giggled, dragging Remus onto the dance floor.  
  
Everyone cheered as the two pairs began competing. "I wish Harry could of seen this!" Ron laughed as Sirius tossed Trixie in the air and caught her. "He's been worried about him."  
  
"Go Remus!" Jasmine shouted, clapping her hands as he spun Emerin in a circle. The room was divided into two. One half cheering for Sirius and Trixie, the other for Remus and Emerin. Finally, the two couples collapsed to the ground, panting and grinning. "Oh man I haven't had so much fun for years...!" Emerin gasped, clutching her side.  
  
"Me... either!" Remus said, grinning as he slowly got up. The four took bows at the cheering crowd and went to sit down.  
  
"That was amazing you guys!" Jasmine said as they joined them (Malfoy scowling).  
  
"Thanks... we always were great at swing dancing." Trixie said.  
  
"A-hem... I seem to remember you two coming in third..." Remus said, grinning.  
  
"Oh shut up." Sirius said, but he was grinning as well.  
  
"Hey look, there's Hermione." Ron said, spotting Hermione at the other side of the room.  
  
"Let's go say hi." So Ron and Peggy made their way over to her.  
  
"Oh, hey guys." She said, smiling.  
  
"Hey... where's your date?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Right 'ere..." They turned and saw a thin, dark, sallow-skinned young wizard with a large nose and thick eyebrows.  
  
"Krum?" Ron asked in shock.  
  
"Here you go, Herm-Own-Ninny." Krum said, setting drinks down on the table.  
  
"Thank you, Viktor." Hermione said, eyes sparkling as he sat down. "He's been practicing my first name." She added with a giggle.  
  
"Vy don't you zit down?" Krum asked the two, staring at them.  
  
"Sure." Ron and Peggy sat down.  
  
"This is my friend, Peggy Morlins." Hermione said. "Peggy, this is Viktor Krum."  
  
"Its nice to meet you." Peggy said, shaking his hand. "I've never personally been to any of your games but from everything I've heard you're amazingly talented."  
  
"Thank you." Krum said, and slouched back in his chair. "It is nice to meet you, as vell."  
  
"So... what are you doing here? In England, I mean." Ron asked.  
  
"I am zeeing Herm-own-ninny." Krum said as if this were the most obvious thing.  
  
"Ah, yes. Ofcourse." Ron muttered, glancing at Peggy. "Travel all the way from Bulgaria to visit Hermione." He added under his breath. Peggy kicked him.  
  
"Haff you not told them?" Krum asked Hermione.  
  
"Well... no..."  
  
"Told us what?" Ron asked.  
  
"Viktor and I are dating." Hermione said and Ron would of spit his drink out of he had drinking something.  
  
"You WHAT?!"  
  
"Ve are dating." Krum said, looking rather surly.  
  
"Congratulations." Peggy said, glaring at Ron who was looking equally surly.  
  
"Hermione..." Ron leaned over. "retain what I told you the summer of our fifth year." He hissed so only she heard it.  
  
Hermione turned deep red. "Viktor is a wonderful guy." She hissed back then straightened up, smiling at him. "Viktor why don't we go dance?"  
  
"Vhatever you want, Herm-own-ninny." Krum said and the pair went out onto the dance floor.  
  
A lot of the girls were staring at him in amazement and glaring at Hermione. "I don't believe this..." Ron muttered.  
  
"What, jealous of him?" Peggy giggled and Ron glared fiercely at her.  
  
"Ofcourse not! I don't like Hermione, not in that way. Its just... Krum's a famous Quidditch player! He could have his selection of any girl in the entire world and he chooses Hermione?" Ron demanded.  
  
"Oh yeah, how awful."  
  
"What?" Ron demanded.  
  
"I'm going to get something to drink." Peggy mumbled, getting up and going over to the table with the drinks on them.  
  
Ron sat back in his chair, arms folded and a scowl on his face. "What's wrong?" He jerked as Professor Dumbledore appeared.  
  
"Oh, good evening Professor."  
  
"You don't look like you are having one. May I join you?"  
  
"Sure." Ron said and Dumbledore sat at his table.  
  
"What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked again.  
  
"Nothing." Ron grumbled.  
  
Peggy soon returned with her drink and sat back down. "Hullo, Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"Hello, Miss Morlins." Dumbledore said with a smile.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore." Professor Snape appeared.  
  
"Yes, Severus?"  
  
"May I have a word with you." He asked, glaring at the two Gryffindors.  
  
"Certainly. Have a good evening, kids." He told them before leaving with Snape.  
  
Ron and Peggy sat in silence, listening to the music for quite a few minutes. "So." Peggy said slowly.  
  
"So." Ron echoed.  
  
"So."  
  
"So."  
  
"So, a needle pulling thread... la, a note to follow to follow so... ti, a drink with jam and bread..." Peggy sang quietly and glanced at Ron. "er... sorry."  
  
"You want to get out of here?" Ron asked.  
  
"Sure. We're not doing anything." Peggy said with a shrug. The two got up and left the Great Hall, walking down the corridors.  
  
"Peggy."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Peggy."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Ron took a deep breath and stopped walking. "Peggy I need to talk to you."  
  
"Talk." Peggy said, stopping as well.  
  
"Listen... I..." He said slowly and nervously. "I.................... I......."  
  
"Yes?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Listen, Peggy, I.......... I.......... I........"  
  
Peggy blinked and stared into his deep brown eyes. "Yeah?"  
  
"I...... I..... I....."  
  
"What is it?" Peggy demanded.  
  
"I don't... I mean I.... er.... well see I......"  
  
"Spit it out." Peggy said, folding her arms.  
  
"Peggy... don't hurt me but... I really like you. I-I love you." He finally said.  
  
"Oh." Peggy mumbled and started walking again.  
  
"Well?" Ron asked, running over to her.  
  
"Well what?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Do you-I mean.... well do.... er, do you. ....do.... you...."  
  
"Do I like you?" Peggy asked and Ron nodded. "Ron. ... I told you before. You're really sweet, and funny, and wonderful and cute... but...."  
  
"But what?"  
  
"But..." Peggy let out a heavy sigh. "I can't... I'm not.... as I said before, I am not worth it."  
  
"Worth what?!" Ron demanded, stamping his foot.  
  
"Everything you'd have to give up." Peggy said.  
  
"What would I have to give up? Why?!" He demanded.  
  
"I... just.... forget it. Okay?" Peggy kissed him on the lips and walked off. Ron stood there, kind of frozen for a moment then felt really bad again. she didn't like him...... and what was she talking about?!  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
"I had a really good time, Viktor." I told him as we stood outside the castle.  
  
"So did I, Herm-Own-Ninny." He said and I giggled. "Vill you be visiting for Christmas?" He asked.  
  
"Probably." I said, brushing my hair from my face.  
  
"I am glad." He said, smiling. I smiled back. "Do your vriends not like this?" He asked hesitantly after a moment.  
  
"Well. I don't really think so." I admitted.  
  
"Vhy not?"  
  
"I don't know. they're just being weird and protective." I said with a shrug.  
  
"Herm-Own-Ninny." He trailed off and leaned down and kissed me on the lips. And, unlike the first one he had given me, this one was not just a short peck. I felt myself sinking down slightly, my legs going weak so I reached up and held onto either side of his head. "I must be going." He said when he pulled away.  
  
I slowly nodding, hardly able to breathe. "Will you come to the Halloween dance?" I asked.  
  
"Ovcourse." He said, stroking my hair. He smiled and went down to the carriages. I waited till the carriage was out of sight. I turned and, sighing happily to myself, headed up to the Common Room.  
  
"Hi Hermione." Harry said as I floated in.  
  
"Hi." I said in a dreamy voice.  
  
"Are you okay?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah." I somehow managed, floating over to the couch and sitting down.  
  
"Good for you." Muttered an angry voice. I blinked and saw Ron, sunk back deep into an armchair and an angry look over his face.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing." He grumbled.  
  
"Mm." I said quietly, staring into the fire. I sighed happily and sat back.  
  
"You're certainly in a good mood." Ron said, glaring out from behind his bangs.  
  
"I suppose I am. I better get to bed." I nodded goodnight to them and floated up the stairs, where Peggy was already dressed for bed.  
  
"Hey Hermione. whoa, you're in a good mood." She said, putting her book up.  
  
"Yeah." I said and got undressed.  
  
"Anything. happen?" She asked. By the tone in her voice I could tell she suspected.  
  
"Viktor kissed me." I said, getting into my nightdress and sitting at the vanity.  
  
"Didn't he kiss you before?"  
  
"Well. yes. but this one was longer and. much better." I sighed happily as I brushed my hair. "Do you know what's wrong with Ron?"  
  
"Yeah." Peggy said quietly.  
  
"What?" I asked, looking at her.  
  
"He. well, he told me he loved me but I said. I told him we couldn't date."  
  
"Oh?" I asked in slight surprise. Peggy wasn't the type of girl I expected Ron to go after. I expected someone more.. pretty. and.. curvy.... and pretty.  
  
"Yeah. it wasn't the first time."  
  
"It wasn't?"  
  
"No." Peggy said slowly, obviously trying to decide whether or not to tell me. Finally she decided yes. "Last year he kissed me. Then later in the school year he told me he loved me."  
  
"Ron kissed you." I said in slight disbelief.  
  
"Yeah. Remember? When I wasn't talking to him for a while?"  
  
"Oh, yeah." I said, realizing she hadn't said she didn't want to date him but she couldn't. I wondered what she meant by this.  
  
"Well, night Hermione. Or should I saw Herm-Own-Ninny?" Peggy giggled. She ducked as I threw my pillow at her.  
  
***  
  
Voldemort paced in the white room, fingers linked together and thinking.  
  
"How to get the boy out of Hogwarts." He told himself.  
  
"I have an idea." Voldemort turned at the hissy voice of Jarxo, his new snake companion. His old one, Nagini, had disappeared.  
  
"What is your idea?" Voldemort asked.  
  
"I have a few friends. I can send them to Hogwarts. They can capture the boy and bring him here." Jarxo said.  
  
"Oh brilliant idea." Voldemort hissed, glaring at the snake. "The only problem is. I sense a powerful force there. More powerful then before. And didn't you say there are GOOD snakes there? Ones that will protect him?"  
  
"Well." Jarxo sputtered. "Yeah."  
  
"Then I suggest you think of another idea. Get out of my sight." Voldemort sneered and the snake slithered off.  
  
A part of his first idea had been smashed. he was going to persuade the giants to come to his side... and then he could of sent them to smash up Hogwarts, providing they left the boy alone. But no... that idiot... Dumbledore. had gotten the giants to go to the good side.  
  
Voldemort sneered and went back to his throne. he sat down and glared around the white room. He had devised it to be white, to let himself and his throne stand out. He called for someone and the closest Death Eater entered the room.  
  
"Yes my lord?" Ryan Lestrange asked, coming in.  
  
"What do you think?" Voldemort asked, staring at him through red eyes.  
  
"About the boy?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"We have Severus at Hogwarts but he can't do anything under that old dodger's nose." Ryan said, arms folded.  
  
"Correct." Voldemort sneered.  
  
"And the ones the boy cares about the most are at Hogwarts, so we can't use them as bait." Ryan continued.  
  
"Correct."  
  
"I think...." Ryan said slowly, pondering over what to say. Say the wrong thing, and perhaps get killed. "The boy's biggest fear is Dementors. Right? From what Crouch said the Boggart turned into at the Triwizard tournament."  
  
"Yes." Voldemort said, narrowing his eyes even more.  
  
"Why don't we send them to Hogwarts?" He asked.  
  
Voldemort looked at Ryan and slowly stood up. He raised his black scepter up and Ryan winced inward, trying not to show fear on the outside. "That is a very interesting idea, Ryan."  
  
"Yes.?" Ryan asked slowly and hopefully.  
  
"It might not get the boy, but they could do damage. Free to do the Dementor's kiss on whomever they please- except the boy, ofcourse, but I suspect Dumbledore will not want the boy in danger's way and will send him somewhere." Voldemort linked his fingers together and smiled, turning to Ryan. "I think its time you're promoted."  
  
"Oh thank you my lord." Ryan said, bowing low.  
  
Voldemort nodded for him to go, then turned to his throne, smiling evilly to himself.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
We were assembled around the door that led to the Animagus classroom, all looking apprehensive---nervous. It was a large, large class since it consisted of every house. It was a couple hours after dinner, Monday the 30th.  
  
We waited outside our classroom, wondering who our teacher would be. We didn't have to wonder for long, for soon a young man appeared. He had long, loose, floppy blacker then black hair, paler then pale skin, dark eyes and was tall and extremely thin. "Good evening." He said. He pushed past us and opened the door, letting us in. The classroom was large and darkish. There was no windows, but a few torches in brackets on the wall. There were a lot of desks and the floor was made out of a carpet of grass. Fireflies buzzed around the ceiling.  
  
We piled into the room and sat at the desks, watching the teacher as he dropped a bunch of books on his desk. He looked at us, his eyes glittering in the low light. "I am Provezzor Lamia." He said with a thick Romanian accent, straightening the pile of books. "I vill be teaching you divvicult art of tranzviguring yourzelv into an animal. Yez Mizter Vinnigin?"  
  
"Are you from Romania?" Seamus asked.  
  
Professor Lamia's eyes glittered slightly. "Yez. I am." He straightened up and rested his hands on his desk. His skin glowing in the glittering lights. "Now zen. How many ov you 'ave zeen an Animaguz?"  
  
Harry, Hermione, Peggy, me and a few others raised our hands after we worked out what he said. Lamia's eyes glittered again. "Zo, a good many ov you. vell, here iz a demonztration vor ze vezt ov you." He said and with a small pop, became a chirruping raccoon on his desk.  
  
Most the class was extremely flabbergasted---er, surprised. I think they expected him to become a bat or something. Lamia returned to his normal self and sat back. "Vell. any queztionz?"  
  
"Is it hard?" Terry Boots of Ravenclaw asked.  
  
"Exztremely." Lamia said, pushing his hair from his eyes which continued to glitter.  
  
"How long have you taught here?" Susan Bones of Hufflepuff asked.  
  
"Two vears."  
  
"I don't remember Dumbledore introducing you." Lavender Brown said.  
  
"He deedn't. Zinze I only taught ze Zixth and Zeventh vears, I vazn't."  
  
"What's it like??" Hannah Abbot of Hufflepuff asked.  
  
"Being an animal?" Lamia asked and she nodded. "It iz very veird at virzt. At virzt ze animal mind iz very overvelming."  
  
"Why did you choose to be a raccoon?" Ernie MacMillan asked nervously. He obviously voiced what the rest of us wanted to know and hopefully we'd understand the Professor's answer.  
  
"I like zem. Zey are.... how you zay. ze bezt creature ov ze night. Very.... oh how you zay... my Eng-a-lij iz not very good.... oh... vat iz being ze vord?" Lamia demanded, looking upset. "Like a.... a... eazily moving.... er... eazily climbing..."  
  
"Limber? Agile? Nimble?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yez! Zank you!" Lamia exclaimed. "Zey are being very leember and agile and neemble!" He looked relieved as he sat back. "Any ozer queztionz?" After no one said anything, or moved, Lamia continued. "Ve vill only be doing zome ztuding at virzt. ve vill not be even ztarted to even beegin trying to turn into animalz until next term." Lamia smiled, giving him an eerie appearance. "Now, iv you vould pleaze turn ze book, 'Animaguz Queztionz and Anzerz' and to chapter vone." He said and we all pulled out the book (Animagus Questions and Answers).  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"Jasmine! Jasmine! Jasmine! Jasmine!!!!!"  
  
"Hunga? Whaba in?" I asked, rolling over.  
  
"Jaaaaasssssssssmmmmmiiiiiiiiinnnnneeeeeee!" I heard a voice whine.  
  
"Whibbale?" I asked, rolling over again. I slowly opened my eyes and saw through the face of a distressed Jason.  
  
"Jasmine!" He exclaimed. "Get UP! Hurrrrryyy!"  
  
"Wazzamattr?" I moaned, slowly sitting up.  
  
"Dementors!" He shrieked.  
  
I rubbed my eyes, and slowly went to the window. I saw dozens upon dozens of tall, cloaked figures, floating across the lawns. "Dementors?" I asked, too sleepy to notice. "Wha?"  
  
"Jasmine wake up." Jason said.  
  
"I am wake." I mumbled, turning to blink at him.  
  
"Jasmine!! DEMENTORS!" He screamed, waving his arms.  
  
"Goodnight." I dived back into my bed and was about to fall asleep, when it hit me. "DEMENTORS!" I shrieked.  
  
"Yes!" Jason said, exasperated.  
  
"Jasmine, go back to sleep." Parvati mumbled from her bed.  
  
"Dementors! Girls! Dementors!" I shrieked, flinging open their curtains. "I gotta wake the rest of the castle. Oh God this brings back memories." I flung myself out of the room, trying not to remember the previous Halloween when my mother's spirit had waken me up to warn me of a Death Eater raid. "Everyone wake up!" I screamed, running down the halls. I ran down the stairs and looked around. "WAKE UP!" I screamed and ran up the boys side. I ran into the sixth year dorm and began flinging curtains open.  
  
"Jasmine!" Donnie shrieked, since he was sleeping in the nude.  
  
"Harry?!" I yelled.  
  
"Jasmine?" Harry said sleepily from behind one of the curtains. I flung it open and stared at him with wide eyes.  
  
"Dementors. attack." I breathed, pointing at the window.  
  
"What? Jasmine what are you talking about?" Harry demanded. I grabbed his arms and pulled him out of bed. He put up a slight struggle but finally we crashed back onto Ron's bed, waking him.  
  
"Harry? Jasmine?" He asked, sleepily, sitting up.  
  
"Dementors." I pushed Harry off of me and ran down the stairs. I ran out of the common room and like the previous year, proceeded to make as much noise as possible. Soon, Filch appeared with Mrs. Norris winding around his legs.  
  
"What in blazes are you doing?" He demanded.  
  
"Dementors!" I shrieked, pushing past him till I ran into McGonagall. "Dementors!" I yelled, clutching her robes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"This young lady is babbling on about something." Filch said.  
  
"This babbling young lady gave us an early warning of a Death Eater raid last year, Mr. Filch." McGonagall said rather sharply. "Jasmine, just keep running about yelling. Yell teachers name." She told me and went off. I glared at Filch, and began running again.  
  
"REMUS!" I screamed out. "SIRIUS! DEMENTOR ATTACK! EMERIN! PROFESSOR SPROUT! PROFESSOR FLITWICK! DEMENTORS! ATTACKING THE CASTLE! PROFESSOR SNAPE! PROFESSOR McGONAGA----- no wait she knows. PROFESSOR CONWAY! PLEASE! DEMENTOR ATTACK! PROFESSOR SINISTRA! ANY-" I ran head-on into Remus.  
  
"Jasmine!!" He said, looking at me with tired and worried eyes. He was wearing bluish gray pajamas under his night robe.  
  
"Remus..." I gasped, grabbing his arm. "Dementors..."  
  
"Dementors....?"  
  
"Yes." I said, breathing hard.  
  
"You know where my office is?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Go there and stay there."  
  
"But, Remus."  
  
"Do you know the Patronus charm?" He asked.  
  
"Yes." I said.  
  
"You do?!"  
  
"Yes. I learned it a while ago." I said.  
  
Remus sighed and pushed back his hair. "Okay fine. come with me." He grabbed my arm and dragged me along the hall. "I still say you should wait in my office. Its my duty as your godfather to keep you protected but we'll need everyone who can fight Dementors to help." We ran through some more corridors (more like him running and me being dragged). Finally we got to a long corridor on the fourth floor, and to a portrait of a bunch of sleeping squirrels around and in a tree. "Wake up!" Remus yelled. One of the squirrels woke up and chirped angrily at him, raising its fists and waving it about. "Death to Rules." Remus said and I knew this had to be where Sirius's room was.  
  
The squirrel, still yelling in squirrel-talk angrily, pulled a tree limb and the portrait opened, revealing a loose stone. Remus pressed it and a doorway appeared. Remus opened it and dragged me inside. "Sirius! SIRIUS!" He barked.  
  
"Whazzit?" Sirius asked sleepily from the couch. I glanced at him confusion, and at the dark blue canopy bed. Sirius slowly sat up from the couch, rubbing his eyes. "What's going on??"  
  
"Dementor attack." Remus said, gripping my arm so tightly I knew I'd have bruises.  
  
"What?!" Sirius demanded, leaping from his couch.  
  
'What's going on?" We looked as a sleepy face peered from the curtains. It was Peggy's aunt Trixie.  
  
"Trixie what the hell are you doing here?" Remus demanded and glanced at Sirius who was flinging through his clothes.  
  
"She didn't want to stay at the hotel anymore. ah!" Sirius said and pulled on a pair of jeans over his boxers.  
  
"Yeah. Sure. Trixie there is a Dementor attack on the castle." Remus said.  
  
"Oh my God!" Trixie closed the curtains and a few minutes later came out, with a dark green bathrobe over her pajamas.  
  
Sirius, Trixie, Remus and I ran out from his room. Or rather, Remus dragged me. "I CAN walk!" I said, stumbling after him but Remus ignored me.  
  
"I'll go get Emerin." Trixie said and dashed off, her sash flying behind her. Soon there was an announcement.  
  
"ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS! THERE ARE DEMENTORS RAIDING THE CASTLE! ALL STUDENTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR COMMON ROOM, BUT THOSE WHO CAN DO THE PATRONUS SPELL PLEASE REPORT TO THE FRONT HALL! THIS INSTANT!" McGonagall's voice rang out.  
  
Sirius and Remus ran down to the entrance hall, Remus dragging me. There were many confused teachers standing there, tying their robes around them tightly. Flitwick had a large sleeping cap on that threatened to completely cover his entire head.  
  
"Who rang the alarm?" Professor Sinistra asked, gripping her wand.  
  
"Jasmine here." Remus said, holding up my arm.  
  
"You can let go now." I said but he continued to ignore me.  
  
Soon, some students poured into the entrance hall, looking sleepy, pale and confused. "Harry!" Sirius said, glowering at him. "What are YOU doing here?!?!"  
  
"He learned the Patronus charm in his Third year, Sirius." Remus said, still gripping my arm which was beginning to go numb. "I taught him."  
  
"Thanks for informing me." Sirius grumbled.  
  
"Aunt Trixie?" I saw Peggy was there, running her fingers through her hair. 'What're you doing here?"  
  
"No time to chat." Trixie said as she and Emerin appeared.  
  
Soon everyone in the castle who could do the Patronus charm, was in the entrance hall. Dumbledore stood at the front, wand in hand. "Let's go." He said and flung the doors open.  
  
Coldness filled the entrance hall, and it was not just from the night air. We crowded outside and began flinging the charm at the Dementors. Luckily Remus was gripping my left arm not my right. He switched to gripping it with his left so he could use his right. I brought up my most happiest memory. Harry...... real family, not adopted.... Remus- a godfather..... Harry and Remus.... Harry and Remus..... I thought and aimed my wand. "Expecto Patronum!" Silvery light shot out from my wand and formed my Patronus. A largish house cat. Around it, other Patronus' took form. A large grizzly bear. a phoenix. a stag. a fox. a Clydesdale horse.  
  
Sadness slowly began filling me. my worst memories taking shape.  
  
'Jasmine. you're adopted.' 'I'm not your real daughter??' 'No.'  
  
No! Fight it!  
  
Harry. Remus. Draco! Wonderful, sweet Draco.  
  
'Stay away from her. She talks to things no one else can see. She's a freak. Says she's talking to dead people.'  
  
Draco is the most wonderful boyfriend a girl could have! You'll see him in the morning.  
  
'Jasmine is a freak! She's weird! Don't talk to her.' 'Jasmine. you're adopted.' 'What a WEIRD girl!! Stay away from her. 'You're adopted.' 'Loser! Freak!'  
  
I fought back my tears and continued fighting the Dementors. I felt sadness. coldness filling up inside of me. 'No! Jasmine fight it! You have a wonderful boyfriend, a real brother and a godfather! Think of them. Think of Harry! Draco! Remus!'  
  
I felt myself slowly sinking to my knees. From beside me, Remus was still standing tall, gripping my arm. "Jasmine don't give in." He whispered.  
  
Suddenly, a real phoenix swooped overhead and began singing. A new strength built up into me. I slowly straightened up and kept a sturdy grip on my wand. My house-cat Patronus was hissing angrily around a Dementor and clawing at it, fighting with the help of the stag. For some reason, the cat and stag seemed right together.  
  
The phoenix song seemed to fill everyone with a new strength and the Patronus' charged more fiercely at the Dementors. Finally, the ones that were left, retreated quickly.  
  
Then everything went black as I collapsed to the ground.  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
Ron and I sat in the hospital wing, watching Harry, Jasmine and Peggy, all unconscious. I looked around at everyone else in the hospital. Mainly seventh years but a few sixth years and even a fifth year.  
  
"Hello." Professor Dumbledore entered the room looking extremely, extremely grave.  
  
"Hello, Professor." Ron and I chorused, sitting back.  
  
"There they are, and I assure you they are perfectly fine." Dumbledore said. Sirius, Remus and Trixie ran into the room. Sirius went to Harry's bed, Remus to Jasmine and Trixie to Peggy's.  
  
"I can't have everyone crowding about the beds, bothering the patients." Madame Pomfrey huffed.  
  
"Yeah they look real bothered." Emerin had come in, eyes narrowed. "Is it true, Albus?"  
  
"Yes it is, Emerin."  
  
"Is what true?" I asked.  
  
"I'll bet Fudge is going to be having a nice time when he hears about this." Emerin said, pulling out a bottle of Butterbeer and chugging some down.  
  
"That little --- deserves restless nights knowing that things like this are going to happen because of him. I'm just glad we reached the giants before Voldemort did." Sirius said, staring down into Harry's pale face.  
  
"Jasmine!" Malfoy ran into the wing and stared at Jasmine. "Is she. is she okay??" He whispered, staring at Pomfrey with wide eyes.  
  
"She will be fine if she can just get rest." Pomfrey said, glaring about the room.  
  
"Poppy my dear, they are all unconscious. They need to wake up." Dumbledore said and sat down.  
  
Pomfrey scowled. "Albus. this is MY hospital-"  
  
"In MY school." Dumbledore pointed out and laced his long fingers together.  
  
"But all the same, Professor, it is MY hospital wing and-"  
  
"My dear Poppy. what these kids need is to be awoken up."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Poppy."  
  
Pomfrey scowled and went off to do something. I hid my giggles and turned back down to look at Harry. A few moments later, he stirred and fumbled for his glasses. Sirius handed them to him and he slid them on, slowly sitting up. "What happened?" He asked slowly, looking around in confusion.  
  
"The Dementors? Last night?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Oh. yeah." Harry said slowly and rubbed his head. "Jasmine?" He asked, glancing at her bed. "Peggy?"  
  
"They'll be awake soon enough." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Hello, Professor." Harry said.  
  
Pomfrey then closed the curtains around his bed and tended to him.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I sipped the hot cocoa, feeling the warmth spreading through my body. "You feeling better?" Ron asked, hand on my arm.  
  
"Yeah." I said, half-wanting to shrug Ron's hand off, the other half wanting for his hand to stay there. My more sensible half took over and I pulled my arm away.  
  
"You never told me you knew the Patronus charm." Harry was telling Jasmine.  
  
"You never told me you knew." Jasmine replied.  
  
"Er.... yeah.... well....I'm older!"  
  
"I'm the same year as you, Harry."  
  
"I'm still older." Harry glanced at me. "You know the Patronus charm, too."  
  
"Yeah. Had to learn it a while ago."  
  
"Had to?" He asked.  
  
"Well. yes." I said.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Well. that isn't important." I informed them and sat back in the chair.  
  
"Guys!" Seamus Finnigin ran in the room.  
  
"What?" We asked. He looked extremely breathless.  
  
"I just found out-" He said, gasping for air, "that a student-was-had been.... in the attack.... been given... the kiss...." He managed.  
  
We all leapt to our feet. "What?!"  
  
"A student.... in the attack.... Dementors kiss..." He managed, leaning against a chair. "I just found out..... seems the parents have sent... a Howler. ...to Fudge." Seamus said.  
  
"Good." Harry said, not believing that. that a student. "What student?" He asked, rather nervously.  
  
"Seventh year Ravenclaw. dunno her name." Seamus breathed.  
  
"Not Cho Chang?!"  
  
"No. another girl. not Cho." Seamus said and looked ready to collapse. Obviously he had run a long way. I jumped up and pushed him in my chair, handing him another cup of cocoa. "Thank you." He said and gulped it down.  
  
"I'll be back." Harry dashed out of the Common Room.  
  
"Oh gosh." Hermione whispered, shaking her head.  
  
"And so the fun the begins." Ron mumbled.  
  
"I need to go write a letter." I said, grabbing my backpack. "See ya." I muttered and ran out of the Common Room and headed to the Owlry. 


	10. Remus's Past

A/N I know I have exaggerated Professor Lamia's accent but it was fun doing so. And as for Jasmine and Harry... In this story Harry is sixteen and she is fifteen, but she is smart and skipped ahead a year. Hope that clears some questions up!!  
  
CHAPTER TEN- Remus's Past  
  
I leaned against my desk, feeling drowsy as Professor Lamia talked about Animagus.  
  
"Mizz Morlinz?" I jerked and looked up into his pale, pale face.  
  
"Yes Professor?" I asked.  
  
"Iv you'd vather vezt. you may leave clazz."  
  
"Er, sorry Professor." I said, sitting up straight.  
  
"It iz pervectly all vight." He said and returned to teaching.  
  
My mind kept wandering to the poor student who had had the Dementors Kiss on her..... it was seventh year Ravenclaw, Elizabeth Marlows.  
  
"I think he's a vampire..." Seamus muttered as we left class.  
  
"You'd like that." Dean laughed.  
  
"I think vampires are fascinating." Seamus said with a smile.  
  
"Good vor you." We jumped as Lamia appeared.  
  
"Oh, er, hello Professor..." We all said rather nervously. "Vampirez are nozing to vear. Juzt... mizunderztood." He said, lifting the books in his arm.  
  
"Like werewolves." Jasmine said quietly and Lamia smiled.  
  
"Ezactly. Verevolves, vampirez... all zoze are juzt mizunderztood. I muzt going, now. Have ze evening nicely." Lamia nodded and whisked off.  
  
"I'll bet you money he's a vampire." Seamus said.  
  
"Seamus.. .. shut UP about vampires!" Dean snapped.  
  
***  
  
Soon it was known throughout the school about Elizabeth. No one knew what happened to her afterwards, though. I was guessing she was taken home. Everyone's names, who had battled in the Dementor battle, had been inscribed on a shield placed in the Trophy Room. And Elizabeth had been given a Special Award, and quite a few points had been given to Ravenclaw.  
  
That Saturday, Saturday the Fifth, was Quidditch try-outs for Gryffindor and I went to cheer Ron on. I didn't like flying on brooms but I'd be safe in the stands. "Good luck." I told him, before sitting down.  
  
"Thanks..." He mumbled, looking quite nervous.  
  
"You'll be fine..." Jasmine assured him. She and Hermione were here, too.  
  
Ron stood with the students trying out for the Chaser and Beater spots. Harry and Allison, the only ones on the team, were waiting and soon the try- outs were underway. I didn't really pay attention. In fact, I fell asleep.  
  
"Peggy, wake up." Jasmine said, nudging me.  
  
"Hmm? Oh." I sat up and stretched my arms out. "Did you get the part?" I asked.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"You mean spot." Jasmine said.  
  
"Part, spot, whatever."  
  
"Oh. We'll find out Monday evening..." Ron replied quietly. He was looking quite nervous.  
  
"I'm sure you did fine." I said as we walked back to the castle. "A capitol job." "How would you know, you were asleep." Hermione said.  
  
"Shh." I hissed at her. "Ron, I'm sure you did a good job."  
  
"I hope so..." He said looking suspiciously at me. "Asleep?"  
  
"No! I wasn't." I said and he folded his arms. Finally I grinned sheepishly. "Okay maybe a little cat nap."  
  
By the time we got to the castle, it was time for lunch. Oddly, there wasn't any food on the tables. "Another prank?" Harry asked, glancing at the teachers table where Sirius, Remus and Emerin were talking to Trixie, who still hadn't left.  
  
"Dunno." Jasmine said with a shrug, smiling at the Slytherin table. Draco smiled back, ignoring the murderous looks on his house mates.  
  
After the tables were full, Dumbledore stood up. "Before we start eating lunch, I have an announcement... we have two new, fifth year, transfer students who need to be Sorted." He announced.  
  
McGonagall had brought in the stool and Hat then went back through the double doors and brought in two kids. Twins. One boy, one girl.  
  
Medium height, though the boy was about an inch taller. Tannish skin with light brown hair. The boys was long and quite messy, and the girl's was waist-length and smooth. The boy was quite skinny, and the girl a bit curvy. They both wore baggy jeans and gray sweatshirts with hoods and kangaroo pouches. They were whispering excitedly to each other as they followed McGonagall. They waited on either side of the stool, looking around the room.  
  
"Miss Luna Everett?" McGonagall asked and the girl, giggling, sat down and was promptly put into Gryffindor. "And Mr. Lupus Everett?" The boy sat down and was placed into Gryffindor as well. The two had sat across from us.  
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Dumbledore informed them and then food appeared.  
  
"Welcome to Gryffindor. My name is Hermione Granger, Prefect." Hermione said, shaking their hands.  
  
"You already know our names." Luna said.  
  
"Unless you weren't paying attention." Lupus said with a nasty grin that look slightly familiar.  
  
"Er... right..." Hermione mumbled and waved her hand at us. "These are my friends. Peggy, Ron, Harry and Jasmine." She said.  
  
"Harry Potter?" Lupus asked.  
  
"Yeah." Harry mumbled, waiting for them to stare at his forehead but neither did.  
  
"Neat." Luna said, staring around the Great Hall with eyes the color of sapphires.  
  
"Look at the sky..." Lupus told his sister, pointing at the ceiling.  
  
"Its not the sky, you nitwit, its the ceiling- bewitched. Right?" Luna asked.  
  
"Yep." Hermione said.  
  
"I read about it." Luna said with a smile.  
  
"Goodie for you."  
  
"Lupus, shut up."  
  
"You shut up."  
  
"Squeak me!" Luna snapped. The twins glared at each other then looked at us.  
  
"He/she is an idiot." They chorused, pointing at each other.  
  
"Er..." Harry said, raising his eyebrows slightly. "yeah..."  
  
"Sorry, we're weird." Luna giggled.  
  
"Very weird." Lupus added with a grin. They both had Irish accents, accents like Matthew Mugg's from the Muggle movie 'Dr. Doolittle' starring Rex Harrison.  
  
"You guys look familiar." Harry informed them.  
  
"We have one of those faces." Lupus said.  
  
"Way-way-wait a minute- 'we'?! Excuse me?!" Luna demanded.  
  
"We're identical twins, Luna." Lupus snapped.  
  
"No, no, no. Not identical. There's a couple of things different. And my face is prettier." Luna said, smiling.  
  
"You mean uglier." Lupus said with a grin. Luna smacked him and he smacked her back.  
  
"You two are just full of love, aren't you?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"Oh yeah." Lupus laughed.  
  
*** (Luna's point of view)  
  
"Hey, time to wake up..." I felt myself being shaken awake early on Monday morning.  
  
"Too early..." I yawned.  
  
"Its half an hour till the first class, you need to get up." The girl said.  
  
"Okay, okay..." I slowly sat up, and rubbed my eyes. I fumbled out of bed and got dressed in the uniform. White long-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved gray shirt with gold and scarlet stripes along the collar and bottom, tie with gold and scarlet stripes, gray pleated skirt ending an inch above the knees, gray socks ending right below the knee, black shoes, and black robes with house badge on left side.  
  
I used a spell to pull my hair into twin braids, grabbed my backpack and thumped down the stairs. "Hey Lupus." I said, flopping into the seat next to him in the Great Hall. The boys uniforms were almost exactly like the girls only instead of skirts they wore slacks, and I dunno if they had to wear certain kind of socks.  
  
"Nice skirt." He said.  
  
"You'd look better in it." I said, stretching my arms out.  
  
"I used to hate the uniform." One of the sixth year girls, Peggy Morlins, said from across from me. "But now I'm used to the skirt."  
  
"You got the legs for a skirt." Lupus said.  
  
"Uh... okay..." Peggy said, obviously confused.  
  
"Ignore him." I said, pouring myself some milk.  
  
"Here's the fifth year schedules." Hermione said, handing us our schedules.  
  
"Hmm... History of Magic first." I said, and looked up. "Is that a good class? What's the teacher like?"  
  
"The new one is great!" Jasmine exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, he's awesome." Harry added.  
  
"Cool." Lupus and I chorused. After breakfast we got our things, and followed some of the other Gryffindor fifth years to the History of Magic classroom. The teacher was sitting at the desk, looking through a book.  
  
"He looks familiar." I whispered to Lupus.  
  
"Yeah..." Lupus said and we sat down.  
  
"Welcome... er, new students..." He said, staring at us oddly. "I am Professor Lupin but you can call me Remus." He said.  
  
"Hi." Lupus and I chorused. He continued staring at us a few minutes then looked back down at his books.  
  
"Have we met him before?" I whispered to Lupus.  
  
"Dunno. he looks really, really familiar." He whispered back.  
  
"Yeah." I muttered and settled back in my chair.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"Please, Peggy!" I begged, staring at her with puppy dog eyes.  
  
"Okay, I'll go look." Peggy got up and went over to the Gryffindor board. She read who made it for the Gryffindor spots (I didn't dare to even look), then returned.  
  
"Well?" I asked.  
  
"I dunno if you're ready to hear this." She said slowly.  
  
"I didn't make it?" I asked, staring at her.  
  
She grinned. "No. you did make it!"  
  
"YEAH!" I screamed, leaping into the air and ignoring the looks I got.  
  
"Congratulations!" Peggy said, hugging me. I wondered (and hoped) if she'd kiss me.  
  
"Thanks. oh my gosh I'm one of the new Gryffindor Chasers. ALL RIGHT!" I shouted, hugging her even tighter.  
  
"Uh. Ron. you're squeezing me." Peggy gasped and I let go.  
  
"Sorry." I said, grinning.  
  
"Its okay." She laughed. "I understand."  
  
"So... no congratulations kiss?" I asked casually.  
  
Peggy rolled her eyes then kissed my cheek. "There."  
  
I grinned even more and felt remarkably happy.  
  
***  
  
"There is something so familiar about those two new students." Harry said the next night.  
  
"Lupus and Luna? Yeah they do look familiar." I said, thinking of them.  
  
"Where's Jasmine?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Where do you think?" Harry growled.  
  
"Ah."  
  
"If they're happy." Peggy said, quill posed over her parchment.  
  
"Yeah but I'd be happy to wrap my hands around Malfoy's neck." Harry said. Peggy shook her head and looked up as Lupus and Luna appeared, grinning nasty grins.  
  
"Oh, hello." We said.  
  
"Hi." They said.  
  
"Mind if we-" Luna began.  
  
"Join you?" Lupus asked in a smooth voice, grinning at me and Hermione.  
  
"Sure." We said and they sat down.  
  
"So, you liking Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah, the girls are sexy." Lupus said and Luna smacked him.  
  
"One-track mind, I swear." She muttered.  
  
"Whaaaaat?" Lupus asked innocently.  
  
"Hogwarts is great. Lots of secret places, and plenty of people to play tricks on." Luna said with an extremely familiar grin.  
  
"I know the secret.. I know the secret..." We glanced up and jerked back as we saw Professor Dumbledore prancing by.  
  
"Er, Professor?" We asked and he froze. He held his beard up like a lady would do with a long skirt.  
  
"Oh hello students." He said.  
  
"What. secret?" Harry asked.  
  
"You'll find out sometime but not right now." He nodded and left. "I know the secret. I know the secret." He continued singing as he pranced off.  
  
"What is he talking about?" Peggy asked.  
  
"It's Dumbledore. who knows." I said.  
  
"Is he-always like this?" Luna asked uncertainly.  
  
"Pretty much, yeah." Hermione said.  
  
"Hey!" Peggy suddenly snapped at Lupus. "Get your hand OFF of my leg!"  
  
"It wasn't me!" Lupus demanded.  
  
Peggy scowled and got THAT look in her eyes. "Uh, if it was you, then you better stop before she hurts you." I said, still remembering the slap she had given me. "Baaaaaaadly."  
  
"Okay, okay."  
  
"So it WAS you!" Peggy growled.  
  
"Hey, can't blame a guy for trying." Lupus said with a sheepish grin.  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
Wednesday, after I ate lunch, I headed to the library to study but found it closed. "What happened?" I called.  
  
Madame Pince appeared at the door, looking extremely mad. "Some kids rigged it so if you pulled a book off the shelf a firecracker will go off." She said and heaved a sigh. "Since you're a Prefect." She let me in and I stared around in shock. There were quite a few teachers, and the Head Boy and Girl, working. They'd pull books off the shelf, and a firecracker would go off. The ceiling was filled with whizzing firecrackers and sparkling lights.  
  
"We need to fix these because if you put the book back and pull it off again." McGonagall trailed off and put a book back before pulling it off. Another firecracker went off.  
  
"Who did this?" I asked.  
  
"I'd blame the twins but they don't come to school anymore." McGonagall said as she pulled a couple books off the shelf.  
  
"Yeah." I said and headed to the Great Hall and reported this to the others.  
  
"Sure Fred and George don't come to school anymore. but there are other sets of twins." Peggy said and I saw her look at Luna and Lupus.  
  
"They were grinning rather mischievously last night." Harry said, looking at them. Their light brown heads were bent together, whispering. Luna was shaking her head 'no' vigorously, while Lupus was nodding.  
  
"No!" Luna hissed as Lupus pushed her.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Go for it!"  
  
"No way!" The two glanced over here and Lupus pushed his sister slightly. "Don't touch me."  
  
"Oh for God's sake." Lupus grabbed Luna's arm and dragged her over.  
  
"No. don't!" Luna hissed.  
  
"Hi." Lupus said and his twin ducked behind him.  
  
"Uh. hi." We said.  
  
"Luna was wondering if she could have your autogra-" Lupus began.  
  
"I do not!" Luna shrieked angrily. "You're the one who wanted his autograph."  
  
Lupus grinned sheepishly. "Okay, so I do." He offered a piece of parchment and quill at Harry.  
  
"You are so embarrassing!" Luna snapped as Harry signed the parchment. "I hate you."  
  
"Cool, thanks." Lupus took the parchment and glared at his sister. "You're the one who wanted to ask him on a date." Luna's eyes got wide and her face got very red. She turned and ran from the room. Lupus snorted and took his quill back. "Sisters." He said with a shrug before going off somewhere.  
  
"I swear I have seen them somewhere before!" Harry demanded.  
  
"I know. they look so familiar." I said, watching Lupus walk off.  
  
"Hey kids." We jumped slightly as Remus appeared.  
  
"Oh, hey Remus." We chorused.  
  
"Hear about the library?" He asked.  
  
"Yep. Wonder who did it." I said though I had a very strong feeling.  
  
"Sounds like something the Marauders did. Only we didn't do it so if you put the book back and pull it off again another will go off. Very clever. Wonder who did it. anyway, gotta go." Remus ran his fingers through his hair and nodded towards the door. "All the teachers are supposed to help with this."  
  
"Even you Sirius and Emerin?" Peggy asked.  
  
"You mean they are actually entrusting you three?!" Jasmine demanded in shock.  
  
Remus grinned broadly. "Yep. Can't imagine WHY though. well, see you." He walked off and was joined with Sirius and Emerin at the door.  
  
"Has your aunt left yet?" I asked Peggy who shook her head.  
  
"Nope. And I have the feeling she's staying because of tall, dark and goofy." Peggy shook her head and took a sip of water. "I have never seen her act that way around a guy before."  
  
"Did you ever find out if they were dating or anything before it all happened?" Harry asked.  
  
"No, think I should ask her?" Peggy inquired.  
  
"Maybe." Harry trailed off and finished his pumpkin juice.  
  
"I'm inquisitorial about that Sapphire and what she did to Remus." Ron said, speaking up for the first time in our conversation.  
  
"Yeah, me too." Jasmine said, staring into her water glass.  
  
"Well." I said, and they all looked at me. "maybe we should start to do some researching."  
  
***  
  
"Renew my memory and tell me exactly what we are looking for?" Ron asked from the isle in front of the one I was in. It was the next day and the library was open.  
  
"I found these books a while ago. Its sort of like a yearbook. It has a bunch of stuff from each year of the school." I said, scanning the titles.  
  
"Okay so we find these whatevers. How do we know who this woman is?" Ron demanded. "Or in case you forgot, none of us know her REAL name."  
  
"Hermione, Jasmine and I saw her photo. At Remus's house when. you know." Harry said from another aisle and Ron snorted.  
  
"Yeah. I know."  
  
"Anyway, her nickname is Sapphire and its most likely due to the fact she has eyes the exact color of sapphires." Harry said.  
  
"Oh my God you're right! All we have to do is find a girl with blue eyes and we've found her!" Ron said in an obvious sarcastic voice. "That SO narrows it down!"  
  
"And besides, she might be in a photo with the girl gang Trixie mentioned." I said.  
  
"Won't the pictures be in black and white?" Ron asked.  
  
"Probably not. How old are they?" I asked.  
  
"Sirius said he turned 32 on his last birthday which was a couple months ago." Harry said.  
  
"That can't be right." I said, counting in my head. "Cause that would mean your parents were. sixteen when they had you, Harry, and I seriously doubt that's true.  
  
"Remus told me he turned 34 on his last birthday." Jasmine said in confusion.  
  
Peggy, however, was giggling like mad. "Both wrong, they're 38."  
  
"What?!" Harry and Jasmine both demanded.  
  
Peggy continued giggling. "The last time I saw my aunt was on the birthday which we share. I turned fourteen and she turned thirty-six. That means she, and Sirius and Remus, are thirty-eight." She explained.  
  
"Figures they'd lie about their age." Harry mumbled to himself.  
  
"Okay, searched this whole aisle and zip, zero, nada." Jasmine came out from the aisle across from mine and went into another.  
  
"I know I saw some somewhere." I said with a sigh.  
  
"Why can't we just INQUIRE instead of spending even more time in the library?" Ron asked bitterly.  
  
"Because we can't ask Remus. It might bring back bad memories." I said.  
  
"Then why don't we ask Sirius? Or Emerin? Or Trixie?"  
  
"They seem upset about Sapphire leaving. They might not like it we're searching." I said.  
  
"But it can't be all THAT bad if Remus still has her photo."  
  
"Ron just shut up and look." Peggy growled.  
  
There was silence for quite a long time. "Okay I give in!" Ron demanded and stormed out of his aisle.  
  
"I'm not giving up." Jasmine said.  
  
"Okay what are you doing here?" Harry snapped and I stepped out of the isle to see him and Ron glaring daggers at Malfoy.  
  
Malfoy sneered and crossed his arms. "Get out of the way, Potter, I am not here to see you."  
  
"Draco!" Jasmine practically leapt out of her aisle at his voice. I actually saw Malfoy do something I never have seen before- smile.  
  
"Jasmine." He said.  
  
"See you later, guys." Jasmine grabbed her backpack and started to leave.  
  
"What was that about not giving up?" I asked and she froze.  
  
"Oh... yeah..." She said and looked at Malfoy.  
  
"Oh my God you guys!" Harry suddenly said causing us all to jump.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
Harry smacked his forehead. "I am such an idiot-"  
  
"Took you that long to realize it?" Malfoy asked. Jasmine glared at him and he stopped smirking.  
  
"Guys. the album. The family album Hagrid gave me at the end of my first year! It has all sorts of photos and- oh my gosh! Hagrid probably knows all about her! He said he wrote to all my parents friends." Harry said.  
  
"Great, you mean we spent." Ron checked his watch. "Two bloody hours in the library when all along we just had to ask Hagrid?! Oh bloody hell." He added when Harry nodded.  
  
"Let's go. Jasmine, you coming?" I asked.  
  
"No, that's okay." Jasmine said and Harry glared at Malfoy.  
  
"Let's get going." He mumbled and we ran out of the library. En route, we slammed right into Lupus and Luna and crashed to the ground. After much pain we finally managed to untangle ourselves from each other.  
  
"So sorry we weren't paying attention." Lupus as he pulled apart from me.  
  
"Ouch Ron! Don't move!" Peggy shrieked as Ron tried to stand up. "My hair is caught in your cloak clasp." While they tried to get her hair untangled, Lupus helped me up and we looked as Luna and Harry finally managed to get apart. Luna was blushing a deep red. "Sorry." She mumbled.  
  
"Its okay." Harry said, standing up.  
  
"Ron! You're pulling my ha-OUCH!" Peggy screamed as he tugged.  
  
"Quit screaming in my ear."  
  
"I am NOT screaming in your ear! I can't get TO your ear!" It took quite a while to get her hair untangled from Ron's clasp. By that time, Peggy was scowling. "Now I have a headache..."  
  
"Let's go." I said.  
  
"Where you headed to?" Lupus asked.  
  
"Visit Hagrid. You know, the gamekeeper." I said.  
  
"Oh yeah." He said and I stared at him. Or rather, at his eyes. "What?" He demanded.  
  
"Your eyes are the color of sapphires." I said.  
  
"Oh my God, really? I've never noticed before!" He said sarcastically.  
  
"Are you originally from Ireland?" I asked.  
  
"We didn't come from Ireland." Luna said.  
  
"You have Irish accents." I pointed out.  
  
"We went to SCHOOL in Ireland." Lupus said.  
  
"Yeah, we LIVE in America." Luna said, nodding.  
  
"Live? You still live there?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then they did you come to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.  
  
Luna shrugged. "Mum just decided to send us here."  
  
"Anyway," Lupus said, "we are originally from where we still live- Missouri."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Why did you want to know?" Lupus asked as he pulled out a Cauldron Cake and bit into it.  
  
"Well we're looking for a woman from here who has eyes the color of sapphires." I said.  
  
"Wow... you should find her very easily. I mean, how many women have blue eyes?" Luna asked, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Wait a minute, Lune." Lupus said.  
  
"I'm waiting."  
  
"Mum's originally from here. From England." He said.  
  
"Really?" I asked.  
  
"I think that's why she sent us here. To get a taste of her childhood days. I think she went to school he---"  
  
"She did." Luna interrupted her brother.  
  
"Well, must be going." The two walked off.  
  
"Hermione, you don't think." Harry trailed off.  
  
"Well." I said and looked at him. "let's go find out."  
  
***  
  
We waited for Hagrid to answer as he poured us tea. "The members of the Shamrocks?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah." I said.  
  
"Easy enough." He finished and set the pot down. "There were Emerin Elm, the teacher here. Trixie Stone, Ivana Everett and your mum, Harry." Hagrid said as he ticked them off his fingers.  
  
"My mum was in a gang? Hmm." Harry said but the one name stuck in my head.  
  
"Did you say Ivana...... Everett?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah." Hagrid nodded.  
  
"Thanks...." I said. We finished our tea and headed back to the castle. "Guys. did you hear that? Ivana Everett."  
  
"We heard. So?" Ron asked. I sighed as we went through the doors.  
  
"Lupus and Luna's last name is Everett."  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"Okay so they have her last name, and the color of her eyes. I've heard the last name loads of times before and... blue is a fairly common eye color if I'm not mistaken." I said after Harry, Ron, Peggy and Hermione informed me what they found out.  
  
"Yeah but they said their mother used to come to school here. Those three can't be coincidences." Hermione said.  
  
"Yeah but... even if they are related to... to Ivana, wouldn't Remus or Sirius or Emerin of noticed by now?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Hermione. Maybe we should just ask." Ron said.  
  
"Okay fine ask." Hermione snapped.  
  
"Good, let's go." We stood up and left with Hermione reluctantly following. We finally found Emerin emerging from a secret passage.  
  
"Emerin!" We called and ran over to her.  
  
"Yeah?" She asked.  
  
"Who is Ivana Everett?" Harry asked and Emerin went slightly pale.  
  
"Ivana?" She asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ivana... also known as Sapphire... she was a member of our gang, the Shamrocks. She... she was my best friend. Lived a few blocks away from me. Only other magical family in the Muggle community we lived in." She explained with a sad look in her eyes. "Then... when everything happened, as you know the gang broke up. I went to Romania. Sapphire and Mac left, too. No idea where they went. I have a feeling Mac went to Australia, always wanted to go there. Anyway, Remus..." Emerin leaned against the wall and sighed. "Remus and Ivana were... were close-"  
  
"How close?" I asked.  
  
Emerin glanced around the hall, took a deep breath and stared at us and then whispered: "They were married."  
  
"Married?!" We shrieked and Emerin hissed at us to keep our voices down.  
  
"Remus was-was married!?" Harry demanded, trying to picture Remus Lupin as a married man.  
  
"Yes. They got married seven months after your parents did. Remus proposed, I think, right after James and Lily got married. I knew he had been weighing it out for a long time... they were dating and Remus, me being his best friend, told me he loved her and wanted to marry her. I, ofcourse, yelled at the thick dolt to propose. But did he listen to me? No." Emerin shook her head at this. "Well he didn't wait too long. I mean, your parents got married in early May, almost a year after we all left school. Anyway, yeah. they were married."  
  
"And she just... just up and left him?" Ron whispered.  
  
Emerin nodded and dropped her voice even lower. "Yeah. He told me. he woke up one morning and found a note from her. It said: 'Remus I love you and will forever but I cannot stay. Not with the deaths of Prongs and Wildflower and Wormtail, and Padfoot being put in Azkaban, and Ember and Mac leaving. I will always be yours, Moony, and hope one day you'll understand. Love, Ivana.'." Emerin quoted.  
  
"That is so sad." Hermione said, on the verge of tears.  
  
"Poor Remus." I said, ready to cry as well.  
  
"You know that James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were unregistered Animagus?" She asked.  
  
"Of course we do."  
  
"So were us girls." She said.  
  
"You were?"  
  
"Yeah. James, Sirius and Peter found out about Remus... then they started working on becoming Animagus. It wasn't until they started calling each other by their nicknames till we girls forced it out of them. We could be very persuasive with them." Emerin grinned now. "The other three had power over them. Lily over James, Trixie over Sirius and Ivana over Remus. So we found out and became Animagus as well."  
  
"What were... are... er, what forms?" Harry asked.  
  
"I'm a Golden Lion Tamerin." She said with a smile. "Cute little things... anyway, Trixie can become a Red Fox. Your mother became a lovely house cat and Ivana... well, that's another thing. She loved Remus- even when they were that age- she became a gray wolf."  
  
"Wow..." Peggy said.  
  
Emerin nodded. "I know. Oh, and Mac is one, too. He can become kuckaburra."  
  
"And you have no clue where Ivana is?" Harry asked and Emerin shook her head.  
  
"Nope. I thought maybe Dumbledore did but I asked him and he only knew about Trixie. Well, better get going. Don't tell Remus I told you this. He'll. eat my spleen or something." Emerin said before walking off.  
  
We waited till she was out of sight before heading back. "God... poor Remus..." Peggy said.  
  
"His wife... left him." I whispered.  
  
"I never even knew he was married." Harry mumbled.  
  
"Come on, its getting late, we better get back." Hermione said and we ran back to the common room. I spotted the twins there and got an idea. I left the others and walked over. "Hi."  
  
"Hey." They said.  
  
"I have a question."  
  
"Go ahead." Luna said.  
  
"What's your mothers name?" I asked.  
  
"Oh, Ivana." Lupus said.  
  
***  
  
"Hmm. imagine that. Just like a movie or something." Jason said as he floated in circles around me.  
  
"Its so sad." I said, staring into the vanity mirror. It was the next night and I had just told Jason everything. All the other girls were down in the common room.  
  
"And Lupus and Luna are her kids?" He asked.  
  
"I really think so. It almost fits. Their mothers name, their eyes, the fact their mother went to Hogwarts but. what doesn't fit is Emerin said the note said she'll always be his. but then she'd of broken it. like, right after writing it. I mean, the twins are fourteen. A year younger then me." I said, thinking.  
  
"Hmm." Jason said.  
  
"I dunno. I just-do you HAVE to float in circles?! Its getting quite annoying!" I snapped.  
  
Jason stopped and floated over. "Sorry." He mumbled, sitting on the vanity.  
  
I shrugged and turned back to the mirror. "It just doesn't. it doesn't FIT!!" I shrieked, slamming my hands down on the table.  
  
"Okay, got a crazy idea here." Jason said.  
  
"All right, what is it?" I demanded.  
  
"What if. okay this is going to sound crazy BUT." Jason floated down and stared at me in the eyes. "What if Ivana left Remus when she was pregnant?"  
  
I was silent a moment then slowly stood up. "But then that would mean. its true and."  
  
Jason nodded. "Lupus and Luna are Remus's kids."  
  
***  
  
"But Harry! It all fits!" I said, exasperated.  
  
"No it doesn't, Jasmine!" Harry said rather angrily. "Remus cannot have kids!"  
  
"Look at it... just look. Luna and Lupus have the same eyes as Ivana, and same last name, and Ivana was married to Remus and left... and I found out the twins were born on April 3rd which means Ivana left when she was four months pregnant so it wouldn't be too obvious and look!!!" I thrust my finger over at the twins. "Who do they look like?! Who EXACTLY do they look like?!?! Just imagine their. or rather, Lupus's eyes closed."  
  
Harry stared at him then back at me in shock. "He... he... he..." He stuttered.  
  
"Yeah. He looks like REMUS. So does Luna, only. girl. And the names." I sat down and stared at him. "Luna is the moon goddess. and it means moon or moon crazy that's where the word lunacy comes from. And Lupus is part of the scientific name for gray wolf! Wolf! Moon!" I shrieked, waving my hands about.  
  
"Jasmine you are insane." He snapped, standing up. "Remus can NOT have kids!"  
  
"It fits." I growled.  
  
Harry rubbed his temples and clenched his teeth. "Remus.. can not... have... KIDS!"  
  
"Yes he can, Harry. He does. Luna and Lupus are Remus's kids. I'll bet everything I own on it." I hissed and stormed upstairs. I knew I was right. That idiot just didn't want to admit it.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"They can't be... they just... they can't!" Harry said, pacing up and down in our dorm.  
  
"I think they are." I said from where I was spread out on my bed.  
  
"They CAN'T be!"  
  
"I mean, that's why they're so familiar."  
  
"They... it's just... impossible."  
  
"No it isn't, Har. You just don't want to concede it." I said, rolling over and watching him upside down.  
  
"Its impossible." Harry said, shaking his head.  
  
I got up and stood. "Well, coming back from the dead was impossible but here I am!" I said, opening my arms out wide. "And down there is my grave!" I added, pointing at the window. Since the leaves were falling, you could see my headstone. It was quite creepy.  
  
Harry scowled at this. I shook my head and went downstairs. "Hi Ron." Peggy said from where she was stretched out.  
  
"H'lo, Peg." I said with a sigh, flopping onto the couch after she moved her legs.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, shutting her book and setting it down. I told her everything and she listened carefully. "I see." She said when I was done. "No wonder Lupus and Luna look so familiar."  
  
"Yeah." I said with a shrug. "Harry just won't admit it."  
  
"Yeah, well, whaddaya going to do?" She asked and I shrugged. "Ron, is something else troubling you?"  
  
"No." I said quickly.  
  
"What is it." She said, rather then asked.  
  
"Its. well. you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yeah." I sunk back into the couch and stared at her. "I really like you."  
  
"Ron I said be-"  
  
"Before, yeah I know. You're not worth all I'd have to give up." I stared into her eyes. 'What would I have to give up."  
  
"Ron." She turned her head away, "leave it alone."  
  
"Tell me. Why do you refuse?" I asked.  
  
"My dad. my dad left my mom. Few years back. He left her for some model and it just kind of. made me mad. I don't want to be hurt like that." She said and walked off. I then remembered something and had to ask her. she said it wasn't her in the cave but maybe now I could trick her.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I walked away from Ron when he shouted my name. I turned as he ran over. "What?"  
  
"In the cave. you told You-Know-Who he killed your mom but how could he of if your dad left her a few years back?" He asked. I frowned.  
  
"Uh. well. I meant a few years back when I was around one. and before he killed her. and-"  
  
"So it WAS you in the cave!" He demanded and I stepped back, eyes even wider.  
  
"N-no!"  
  
"But you just admitted it." He stepped closer to me. I felt myself trembling.  
  
"No! I didn't! I-"  
  
"What's the truth, Peggy?" He demanded, staring into my eyes.  
  
"Ron, I didn't. I mean." He now had me cornered.  
  
"Peggy." He said, staring harder at me. "You have been lying to us. I think now is the time to tell the truth."  
  
"The truth?" I asked.  
  
"Yes." He said.  
  
"The truth is." I straightened up. "My dad never did leave my mom." I said and he stared at me in confusion. I smiled. "And I love you."  
  
"You what?" He gasped. I pulled my wand out and sadly pointed it at him. As much as I didn't want to, I had to do this.  
  
"I love you even though I'm not supposed to. And I really wish it could be otherwise. Oh, and you're never going to remember this conversation. Sorry." And with that I wiped his memory of the past ten minutes.  
  
"Peggy?" He asked looking at me.  
  
"Yes?" I asked, putting my wand up.  
  
"What am I doing down here? I was upstairs with Harry and now suddenly down here." He said.  
  
"Hmm. That's weird." I walked past him and went up the stairs to my dorm.  
  
***  
  
Ron was quite disorientated the rest of that day and most of the next. But finally he shrugged it off. Meanwhile Jasmine was determined to find out the truth out Lupus and Luna. She insisted they were Remus's kids. I had a strong feeling they were as well but I wasn't as determined as her to find out the truth.  
  
"Maybe I could write to her." Jasmine said Saturday, while the boys were at Quidditch practice.  
  
"Oh yeah that's a nice letter. 'Dear mother of two kids I hardly even know- '" I began but Jasmine cut me off.  
  
"I need to know the truth. I want to. What if we can get Ivana and Remus back together?" She asked.  
  
"She left him, Jasmine." Hermione pointed out, pouring over her schoolwork.  
  
"I don't care. Remus is my godfather and I love him and want to-"  
  
"What if it hurts him?" I asked gently. Jasmine blinked, obviously never thinking of this. "I think we should just leave it alone." Jasmine looked down at the table and sighed. 


	11. The Eleventh Story

CHAPTER ELEVEN- The Eleventh Story  
  
There is no eleventh story. There is no chapter eleven. Sorry. 


	12. The Polyjuice Incident

CHAPTER TWELVE- The Polyjuice Incident (Ron's point of view)  
  
"Ugh.... I hate Potions.... I hate Snape...." I groaned as we trudged to Potions class on Monday.  
  
"Aren't you Mr. Cheerful." Jasmine mumbled from beside me. We entered the dungeons and sat down. Snape strode in and glared at us before beginning to explain the potion we'd be making.  
  
"This is a very difficult potion...." He glared at Neville who trembled slightly. "Extremely difficult. Mess it up.... and you may find yourself harmed. Pair up." He snapped. I turned to Peggy who brought her stuff over to me. "The potion is..... the Polyjuice potion."  
  
I immediately looked at Harry and Hermione (who had paired up. Jasmine was with Malfoy, surprise, surprise.) who cast glances back at me. "Anyone tell me what this potion do-" Snape stopped as Harry, Hermione and I raised our hands. He seemed shocked I was answering. "Mr. Weasley?"  
  
"The Polyjuice potion turns you into someone else for a while." I said.  
  
"Uh..... correct." He sneered and waved his hand over his cauldron. "Now since the potion takes.... a long time to fix, I have already made some. Of course you will make it yourself but right now.... you are going to see the results of it for yourself."  
  
I looked at Peggy who stared back at me. The looks on our faces were the exact same. We would be turning into each other?! I was going to be a GIRL?!?!!?!?!!?! Hmmmmm.  
  
Snape asked for one person from each pair to come up and get the potion. I went up and grabbed two glasses, then returned to Peggy. "Oh great...." She groaned as I set the glass down.  
  
"Can't be that bad." I said, hoping it wouldn't taste like boiled spinach. That was what it had taste like when I turned into Crabbe.  
  
"Add the hairs-" Snape began.  
  
"The what?!" Lavender Brown demanded.  
  
"You need a bit of the person you are turning into. Add a hair. And no, you don't need to drink the hair." Snape growled. Peggy plucked a strand from her head and dropped it in her glass. I put some of my own hair in my glass and handed it to Peggy, and took hers. After shaking it, it turned a silvery white color. The one with my hair in it turned flaming red, the same color of my hair.  
  
"Bottoms up?" Peggy asked and pinched her nose and drank it. "Taste like cinnamon." She mumbled, gulping it down. I made a face but drank it. I stopped making a face. It didn't taste real disgusting. It tasted sort of liked..... water only fresher..... like perfectly clean fresh water.  
  
I immediately felt myself feeling sick. Ugh..... I clutched my stomach and screwed up my eyes as the feeling spread through my body. I felt myself get like maybe an inch or so shorter and..... er, other things. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the hazy room and realized I was now Peggy, and needed glasses. She handed them to me and I put them on. I found myself staring at.... myself. In a girls uniform.  
  
"Whoa...." Peggy said, staring at me which was herself... erm, yeah.  
  
I studied myself. "I look good." I said and she rolled her.... my.... er, her eyes.  
  
"Don't you dare touch anything." She snapped.  
  
"Peggy, I am shocked and offended you'd think I'd try to-"  
  
"Get your hand off my chest!" She snapped.  
  
I glanced down and realized when I had said that, without thinking I had put my hand to my..... er, her chest, like people do when they pretend to be offended. I pulled it away. "Sorry."  
  
"You better be." She grumbled.  
  
I looked around and saw Harry as Hermione, and Hermione as Harry. "Nice skirt." I informed him. Well, Hermione.  
  
"Shut up." Harry (as Hermione) snapped. Hermione (as Harry) was giggling. I looked over and saw Jasmine and Malfoy had switched. Jasmine was now in Malfoy's body, so 'he' was dressed in a girls Gryffindor uniform.  
  
"It feels weird, not having to wear glasses." Peggy said. It was weird hearing my voice but knowing it was Peggy in the mind.  
  
"The affect should wear off in an hour." Snape announced. Peggy and I chatted, waiting for the time to pass. Finally, everyone else was changing back. I sat back, waiting for my body to return. But it didn't.  
  
"What is going on?" Peggy sat forward, staring at me. "Everyone else has returned to normal but we haven't."  
  
"I don't know....." I said, glancing around nervously. Most the students were leaving for class was dismissed. We waited for everyone to leave then went up to the desk.  
  
"Professor Snape?" Peggy asked and Snape looked up.  
  
"What?" He growled.  
  
"The potion didn't wear off for us." I said, feeling scared.  
  
"It should of. What did you do?" He growled.  
  
"Nothing! We did like you said, sir!" I demanded.  
  
"I don't know what happened. You'll have to go ask Albus Dumbledore. But before you leave, I suggest you switch clothing." He said, looking at us.  
  
"Okay, sir." Peggy mumbled, and dragged me to the nearest girls lavatory (which was empty). She locked the door and turned to me. "Okay, we'll switch clothing then go talk to Dumbledore."  
  
"Okay." I looked around.  
  
"Yeah its a girls bathroom." She said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"No, I was just thinking its not as good as the others I've been..... in....." I trailed off.  
  
"You have been in a girls bathroom before?!" Peggy demanded.  
  
"Only two!" I insisted and she choked.  
  
"TWO?! Never mind, I DON'T want to know." She ducked into a cubicle and I went into the other.  
  
"You're not going to look at anything.... right?" I asked as I took off the cloak.  
  
"Heavens no! And the same goes for you."  
  
"Right." I stared up at the ceiling as I undressed and threw my uniform over to her. She threw hers over to me and I quickly got dressed. well, half dressed. I stared at the bra. "How does this go on?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Bra. I think I know how it goes on but I'm not absolute sure, and to put it on, won't I have to..... er..... look?"  
  
"Oh for goodness..... hold on! Don't look!" A few minutes later she came in.  
  
"I hope no one comes in." She mumbled as she put it on (my eyes were closed).  
  
"You locked the door, right?"  
  
"Of course. Okay there." I opened my eyes as she shoved the white shirt over my head, the jumper, and the tie. I pulled the robes on as she put the shoes on and we quickly left.  
  
"This is so humiliating!" I demanded as we walked down the halls.  
  
"No one knows its you." She replied, running her fingers through her.... my.... her hair.  
  
"They better not. stop walking like that, you make me look like a pansy." I snapped.  
  
"Sorry." We went to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Jelly Slugs." I announced and the gargoyle sprang aside. We went up the steps and knocked on Dumbledore's door.  
  
"Come in." He said and we walked in. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Morlins." He said.  
  
"Er.... yes that's us but.... not.... er, which ones you called us." I said and was confused by what I said.  
  
"What he means is.... I'm Peggy." Peggy said.  
  
Dumbledore blinked and looked back and forth. "Ah yes.... Polyjuice potion?"  
  
"Yes sir." We chorused.  
  
"I should of excused you from that, Ron."  
  
"Why is that, sir?" I asked as he indicated for me to sit.  
  
"I think you know why." He said, giving me a very knowing look. I frowned slightly. "Miss Morlins? If I may have a second with Ron?" Dumbledore asked and Peggy went outside.  
  
"The Stone?" I asked.  
  
"The Stone always does produce unusual side affects."  
  
"Will I ever return to my normal self?" I asked.  
  
"Of course you will, Ron." Dumbledore said, lacing his fingers together. "It will just take a while."  
  
"How long is a while?" I asked nervously.  
  
"A few days. I should of excused you from the Potions class but I had forgotten-"  
  
"A few DAYS?! I am going to be a girl for a few DAYS?!" I demanded, making Peggy's voice go higher.  
  
"Unfortunately yes. Maybe till the end of the week. But the odd thing...."  
  
"What is it?" I asked, staring at his concerned face.  
  
"It's nothing, Ron. Go tell Peggy." I nodded and left.  
  
"Well?" Peggy asked.  
  
"We'll be this way for a while. Maybe till the end of the week." I said, glaring ahead as we went down the stairs.  
  
"Oh bloody hell!" Peggy moaned.  
  
"At least you sound like me." I snickered.  
  
"So are we going to tell anyone?"  
  
"Who'd believe us?"  
  
"Yeah..... but what are we going to do? I can't be a boy for a week!" She demanded.  
  
"I can't be a girl. But what are we going to do?" I asked, shaking my head.  
  
"There's nothing we can do." She sighed.  
  
"Okay so.... we have to be each other. Is there any significant thing I should know about you?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know how to coach someone on being me. It just comes naturally."  
  
"Well it can't come naturally now."  
  
"I know that!" She snapped as we walked down the corridors.  
  
"Okay... so what do we do about.... er, going to the lavatory?" I asked, feeling my cheeks burning.  
  
"Oh God... this is just great. Well..... I don't..... well......" She took a deep breath. "Just go."  
  
"What?!" I demanded, burning even redder. Peggy was turning red as well.  
  
"Well there's nothing we can do.... ugh. It's so-" What it was 'so' I never found out for Harry, Jasmine and Hermione ran down the hall.  
  
"There you two are. We're going to be late for our next class." Hermione said.  
  
"Er...." I said hesitantly.  
  
"Right." Peggy gulped.  
  
***  
  
"Peggy...?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yes?" I squeaked.  
  
"Aren't you coming in?"  
  
"Er.." I was frozen at the door to the Gryffindor Sixth year girls dorm. I cautiously took a step in.  
  
"Aren't you getting a shower?" Lavender asked, yawning.  
  
"No..... I'll... get one.... morning." I said and found Peggy's bed.  
  
"Aren't you changing for bed?" Parvati Patil asked, examining herself in the mirror.  
  
"Er, too tired. Night!" I shut the curtains and lay in bed, trying not to breath too hard.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
"Ron.. wake up. C'mon Ron..." I felt myself being shaken awake.  
  
"I'm not Ron." I yawned, opening one eye. I was shocked it wasn't blurry. Then remembered... I was Ron. "I mean, I'm tired." I slowly sat up, stretching my arms and blinking around. Most the other boys were already gone. I waited till I heard Harry leave, then got dressed, brushed my teeth and hair, then went downstairs. I spotted Ron and went over.  
  
"How'd your night go?" I asked in a hushed voice.  
  
"After it took about a few hours to go to sleep, fine." He hissed back.  
  
"I went to sleep pretty much right away, I was exhausted." I replied with a shrug.  
  
"Ugh, I am so hungry!" He said and attacked the food like a ravenous wolf.  
  
"Peggy.?" Hermione asked. I started to respond then elbowed Ron.  
  
"Huh?" He looked up, mouth full of food.  
  
"Ugh, Peggy, you're acting like Ron!" Hermione said, looking disgusted. I realized I should show SOME response back.  
  
"Hey!" I snapped.  
  
"Took you long enough." Hermione snickered.  
  
"I'm tired."  
  
"You're always either tired or hungry. Speaking of which, you not eating breakfast? I'm shocked." Hermione gasped and I began eating, but felt rather sick. After we finished, I dragged Ron outside.  
  
"What are we going to do? I can't act like you and you can't act like me." I said and pulled his hand away as he tried stuffing some chocolate in his mouth. "Are you listening to me?!"  
  
"Okay well all we can do is try hard. And let go, I'm hungry." He said and I sighed, letting go of his.... my.... his hand.  
  
"You just ate like, fifteen helpings!"  
  
"So?" He asked, staring at me with my hazel eyes.  
  
"Oh never mind. Let's go, almost time for class."  
  
***  
  
The day was quite weird. It went by very slowly but finally it was dinnertime. After that I read for a while then searched for Ron. "Lavender," I asked and she looked up. "where's Peggy?"  
  
"In the shower. She's been in there for about an hour."  
  
I nearly choked then glared up the stairs. I KNEW he'd do something like that! I was extremely mad at the thought of him...TOUCHING my body! Ugh! "You okay, Ron?"  
  
I glanced at Lavender. "Oh, I'm just dandy." I mumbled and went to find Harry. I found him talking to Luna and Lupus. Luna seemed to have forgotten that ordeal about her brother saying she wanted a date with Harry. I stared at them. They had to be Remus's kids. They looked.... so much like him except the eyes.  
  
"Hey Ron." Harry said as I sat down.  
  
"Hi." I said. I waited and waited, watching the girls stairs, and finally 'Peggy' emerged. I leapt up and ran over. "Enjoy the shower?" I hissed and his face went pale.  
  
"Er. what shower?" He squeaked. I grabbed his arm and held tightly.  
  
"You know perfectly well what I am talking about!" I snapped.  
  
"I HAD to get a shower." He said diligently.  
  
"One that lasted almost an hour and a HALF?!" I demanded.  
  
"I had to get used to washing new things." He said and I slapped him.  
  
"RON!" Hermione screeched. I winced slightly, realizing they had just seen 'Ron' slapping 'Peggy'.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why did you slap Peggy? You okay?" She asked Peggy.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine. I'm going up to my dorm and reading." And he went upstairs.  
  
"Ron, why the heck did you slap Peggy?" Hermione demanded.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." I growled and sulked in the corner for the rest of the evening.  
  
***  
  
"Sir.. my lord....?" Ryan Lestrange watched as Voldemort paced.  
  
"I must do something. I must." He hissed, glaring around at the white room.  
  
"Yes, my lord." Ryan said, gripping his wand, waiting for an order.  
  
"What would make Potter leave the school?!" Voldemort hissed.  
  
"My lord." Ryan's wife, Holly, stepped forward.  
  
"What?" He demanded.  
  
"The Potter boy has that. odd quality. he'd sacrifice himself to save others. Foolish quality but he has it, nonetheless." She said. Ryan stared at his wife with pride.  
  
"Yes, Holly. he does have that senseless and foolish quality." Voldemort said, staring at her.  
  
"What if we do something. something that will risk the lives of the other students? So that the Potter boy will give himself up?" Holly asked.  
  
"Good idea, Holly. but what?" He asked.  
  
"My lord." Ryan stepped forward. "I have an idea. something that will easily kill and destroy the students. and something that will be hard to kill." Ryan's eyes were glowing with pride.  
  
"Enlighten me." Voldemort said with a smile, fingers linked and eyes staring hard at Ryan as he unfolded his plan.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"Draco?" I asked as he stumbled into the classroom with a nasty gash over his eye. "What happened?" I asked, rushing to him.  
  
"It's nothing." He said. I lightly touched the gash with my wand.  
  
"What happened?" I demanded.  
  
"The others were talking trash about you again. I couldn't sit by and let them- OUCH!" He screamed as the medicine flowed from my wand.  
  
"Oh quit being such a baby." I said, holding his arm as he wiggled to get loose.  
  
"Stop. It hurts." He whined.  
  
"Oh PLEASE." I finished healing him.  
  
"Thanks." He said and I smiled.  
  
"No problem. I." I trailed off and glared as Jason floated in with a box of popcorn. "What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed.  
  
Draco looked around in confusion and Jason frowned. "Watching you."  
  
"Get out!. and where did you get that popcorn?!" I demanded.  
  
"I dunno." He shrugged and floated off.  
  
"Oh yeah, the dead thing." Draco said and I turned back.  
  
"Yeah." I said. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, resting his head on mine.  
  
"I love you so much, Jasmine. you know that?"  
  
"I kind of noticed." I said and smiled as he kissed my neck. Suddenly there were shouts from outside. Sighing, I went to the door. Ron and Peggy stood there. Ron had his hands around Peggy's neck and was shaking her. "Oh God. RON!" I shrieked and he froze, looking at me.  
  
"Jasmine?" He asked.  
  
"Jasmine help. he's killing me!" Peggy shrieked, trying to pull away. Finally she did, and sprinted off.  
  
"GET BACK HERE YOU PERVERT!" Ron screamed.  
  
"What the hell are you TALKING about?!" I demanded.  
  
"Never mind." Ron turned and stormed off.  
  
"What was going on?" Draco asked as I came back in.  
  
"I don't know. Ron has been acting really strange lately. He's attacked Peggy quite a few times these past few days. I think he's trying to rape her or something." I said with a shrug.  
  
"Oh that's nice." Draco said, folding his arms.  
  
"Let's get back to what we were doing." I said, holding his hand and he smiled.  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
***  
  
"There he goes again." It was later that night and Ron began chasing Peggy around the common room.  
  
"Get BACK here!" Ron screamed and Peggy dove behind me and Hermione.  
  
"Help me." She squeaked.  
  
"Ron, WHAT are you DOING?!" Hermione demanded, angrily slamming her book shut.  
  
"Come out from behind those girls and face me like a man!" Ron snapped at Peggy.  
  
"I am a girl." She said, folding her arms and Ron lunged for her. I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off.  
  
"Ron, STOP attacking Peggy! Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit girls?!" I demanded, holding him back as Hermione helped Peggy up.  
  
"I don't know WHY he's assaulting me." Peggy said and smiled sweetly at Ron. "Though if he stopped being so vicious I would mind him all over me. He is tooootttaaaaally hot you know."  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ron screamed and stormed off.  
  
We looked at Peggy who brushed herself off. "Great now I'm all dirty. Better go get cleaned up!" She said and went upstairs.  
  
"How many showers has she taken the past few days?" I asked.  
  
"A dozen?" Hermione said with a shrug and we went back to our books.  
  
"And since when did Peggy start thinking Ron is hot?!" I demanded.  
  
"I don't know.... and I have no clue why Ron screamed at that. The Ron I know would be all over her if she said that."  
  
"Yeah its weird. like they switched bodies or something." I said.  
  
"Invasion of the body snatchers." Hermione mumbled and we continued studying.  
  
***  
  
"Sir! Sir. Sir!" Sir turned at the young wizard running up to him.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"We were right." He said, bobbing up and down.  
  
"We were right about what?" Sir demanded.  
  
"The kid WAS brought back by the Stone. The one boy. Ron Weasley." He said, clutching the papers.  
  
"Where is the Stone now?" Sir demanded.  
  
"We d-don't know, Sir. someone who had helped bring the boy back has it." The young wizard said. Sir grabbed the wizard with a claw-like hand. "Find out the names of those who helped. and get me the Stone!"  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
"We're back!" I shouted happily as Ron and I changed back to our normal selves.  
  
"Here's your glasses." Ron handed me my glasses and I glared at him.  
  
"So how much of my body do you know now?" I demanded.  
  
"I didn't look... much..."  
  
"Much?!" I demanded, grabbing the front of his robes.  
  
"You have a tattoo." He said and I went pale.  
  
"Oh God I didn't know tattoos would be included by use of Polyjuice Potion. wait a minute- YOU LOOKED THERE?!"  
  
He grinned. "And let go of me if you want to make sure no one ELSE finds out." I glared at him and threw him against the wall. "Oh come on. Don't tell me YOU didn't examine me!"  
  
"I never.... examined anything!" I hissed.  
  
"Oh good so you don't know about the birthmark in the shape of a 'x'." He said.  
  
"I thought it was an 'w'." I said.  
  
"YOU DID LOOK!"  
  
"NO!" I snapped. "Not on purpose!!!!"  
  
"Yeah. SURE." He said, grinning. I scowled. "So what do you think of me?"  
  
"ARGH!"  
  
"And by the way."  
  
"What?!" I demanded.  
  
"You're a lot curvier on top then you look." He said and I went deep red.  
  
"Damn."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well." I stared at him. "I was so sick of guys liking me cause of that well. I started taping them down with duct tape. Then since I was uglier then I was curvier, guys ignored me."  
  
"But you always complain about-"  
  
"I don't want to talk to you. Don't tell anyone!" I yelled and walked off.  
  
***  
  
The next week I was so angry with Ron, I didn't even talk to him. How DARE he look THERE!!!! Ugh I wanted to kill him. Then the announcement of this year's Halloween Costume dance came out. Ron asked me, and I slapped him.  
  
"After what you did? NEVER!" I yelled and stormed off. He actually thought that I'd agree to go with him? After everything he DID?! Ugh! I stewed over for a few days then realized I wouldn't be getting another date. So, reluctantly, I agreed to go with him. "This is so embarrassing."  
  
"What is?" He asked after I told him I'd go with him.  
  
"Well you.... well, you know.... know what I look like. God it's humiliating."  
  
"Well you know what I look like." He said.  
  
"If I looked like you, I'd be humiliated to." I smirked and ducked as he threw a cushion at me, but was grinning. 


	13. Ivana, The Truth, and Halloween

Author's Note: Thanks, Alexial, for the review! I've decided to thank reviewers in little things before the chapters. Bwahahahaa. By the way, everyone pppllleeeeaaaaase review! I need reviews cause I thrive on feedback and stuff like that. Anyway enjoy the chapter!  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN- Ivana, The Truth, and Halloween (Lupus's point of view)  
  
"Too low, can't get through.... no higher.... I can't get through!"  
  
"It's cause you have such a big head." Luna snapped.  
  
"Just a little.... yeah!" I slipped into the office through the window, and crashed to the ground.  
  
"Quit making so much noise!" Luna hissed.  
  
"You." I held the window open as she climbed in.  
  
"Why couldn't we just use the door? It is unlocked." She said as I carefully shut the window.  
  
"Because it is the obvious and non-fun way." I said and set my backpack down.  
  
"Whatever...." She mumbled and we began to set up the intricate web design. If you touched one string, it'd go off. What was 'it' you ask? 50 fireworks. We finished rigging Professor Snape's office, climbed out the window and around to the nearest next one- Professor Elm's. Or Emerin as she prefers. We rigged her office.... followed by Sirius's, McGonagall's, Sinistra's, Remus's, and Vector's. When we were done with the Arithmacy teachers' office, we climbed back into the castle, and back to bed minutes before the rest woke up.  
  
"Morning, Lupus." Colin Creevy, a fellow Gryffindor fifth year, said cheerfully. Even though Luna and I should of been in the fourth year, we were smart (gasp!) and put forward a year.  
  
"Morning Colin." I said with a smile. I rubbed my eyes and got out of bed. I went down the stairs and found Luna talking to Ginny Weasley. The three of us went down to the Great Hall, and sat down.  
  
"Harry is so handsome." Ginny sighed, watching The Famous Harry Potter.  
  
"Yeah...." Luna said and glared as I began gagging.  
  
"Oh, Ginny, are the rumors true? About your brother?" I asked, nodding at her older brother who was talking to Peggy (who looked ready to kill him).  
  
"What rumors?" She asked.  
  
"That he was dead."  
  
"Oh, yeah. He was dead and was brought back to life. Don't know how." Ginny said with a shrug.  
  
"If you want me to go to the dance with you, Ronald Weasley, you better stop that!" Peggy yelled and left.  
  
"I'll go with you." I said. She rolled her eyes and left the hall.  
  
"You already have a date, Lupus." Luna said.  
  
"Yeah, ME!" Ginny snapped.  
  
"So? The more girls the merrier." I said with a grin.  
  
"Ignore him, he's always like this." Luna informed Ginny.  
  
"Yeah, if I had a steady I'd never cheat on her." I said, pouring some orange juice. "But seeing as how I DON'T. the Lupus Man is open to all the ladies."  
  
"Do you have a date yet, Luna?" Ginny asked.  
  
"No. I'd love to go with Harry...." Luna said with a sigh. "But.... I am way too scared to ask."  
  
This struck me with an idea. "I'm going to get something " I mumbled and went over to Harry. "Hey."  
  
"Oh, hey Lupus." Harry said.  
  
"I have a HUGE favor."  
  
"Okay.... what?"  
  
"Do you have a date to the dance yet?" I asked.  
  
"Um, no but I don't swing that way." He said.  
  
I rolled my eyes. "For my sister you nitwit! She's too scared to ask you. Please? I'll pay you."  
  
"Why do you want me to go with your sister?" Harry asked.  
  
"Cause she's my sister and I love her and want the best for her." I said with a shrug.  
  
"Okay, I'll ask her." Harry went over to Luna.  
  
I turned to Hermione. "Hey there babe."  
  
"Oh please." She said, rolling her eyes.  
  
After breakfast, Luna and I headed down the corridors (we had free period). "Lupus...."  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"I have a date to the dance." She said, gripping my arm.  
  
"Okay.....?"  
  
"Harry! Harry Potter!" She hissed.  
  
"Oh really?" I asked in mild surprise.  
  
"He asked me! At breakfast!"  
  
"And you said....?"  
  
"You are such a bloody idiot! I said YES!" She shrieked.  
  
"Yippee-ki-yay-ki-yay for you." I said, rolling my eyes.  
  
"So what's your costume?" She asked as we leaned against the wall near Snape's office.  
  
"I'm thinking about going as the ultimate evil...."  
  
"Oh, a poodle then?"  
  
"Yeah but then I don't want to scare the younger kids. So I'm going to go as either a leprechaun to fit my original school-land.... or a wolf to fit my name."  
  
"You should go as a wolf." Luna said, opening a bottle of water and swigging it.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"I dunno. Depends." She said with a shrug.  
  
"Hello Professor." We chorused as Snape walked by.  
  
"What are you two doing down here?" He hissed, hand on his doorknob.  
  
"Strolling. C'mon." Luna said and we casually walked off. A few minutes later we heard a scream and fifty fireworks going off.  
  
"EVERETTS!" Snape yelled as, laughing, we ran off.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"I have to, Jason.... I know I shouldn't but.... what am I supposed to do?!" I demanded.  
  
"I think you're right." Jason said, floating with me as I paced. "And I think you should talk to Dumbledore. I think he knows the truth."  
  
"Okay. Talk to Dumbledore." And within the hour, I was sitting in front of the Professor telling him everything.  
  
"Of course Lupus and Luna are Remus's kids." He said, blue eyes twinkling.  
  
"But then why doesn't Remus know?" I asked, shocked at what he said. Shocked that I was right.  
  
"Well.... let's just say Remus isn't the brightest crayon in the box." And with that I snorted.  
  
"But.... wouldn't he.... I mean...."  
  
"I understand, Jasmine. Yes Remus does need to know. But neither of us is the right person to tell him."  
  
"But then.... who is?"  
  
"Who else?" Dumbledore asked with a knowing look.  
  
"Ivana." I whispered.  
  
***  
  
"This is awesome! Skipping school!" Lupus said.  
  
"We're not skipping school, and the Headmaster gave us permission." I pointed out.  
  
"So?" Lupus asked, staring out the window at the passing countryside. "It's still cool."  
  
"Look!" Luna shrieked, leaning forward. "Home....!!" The Knight Bus screeched to a halt in front of a farmhouse. I stared at it. Inside was her. Ivana. The woman Remus loved.  
  
I paid the conductor and we piled off. "So what we need to do is convince mom to come back to England with us.... and we'll find out who our father is?" Lupus asked.  
  
"Yeah." I said, pulling my backpack on and staring at the house.  
  
"Mother's never mentioned father.... she just said we're named after him or something like that." Luna said. We went up the stairs and onto the porch. It was still the middle of the night. I jerked as a dog began barking.  
  
"Mr. Mondale!" Lupus said, opening the door.  
  
"It's not locked?" I asked.  
  
"There's a spell on the house. Only people with our blood can open it. Me, Luna, mom, our grandparents and our dad whoever he is." Lupus explained as we stepped inside the dark hallway. A huge boarhound, looking remarkably like Fang, leapt at us- barking loudly. Soon there was a small yipping, and a tiny white terrier appeared.  
  
"Butterfly!" Luna said happily as the terrier leapt into her arms.  
  
"Who's there?" Hissed a voice. There was sounds of someone on the steps. "I am armed, I'm warning you!"  
  
"Mom!" Lupus and Luna shrieked, flinging themselves at the figure.  
  
"What the hell?! Lupus?! Luna?!" The woman demanded. The lights came on and I saw she had waved her wand.  
  
I looked at the woman. She was quite pretty. Maybe a couple inches shorter then Remus, with smooth brown hair two shades darker then his and the twins. It was pulled back in twin braids ending at her shoulders which gave her a girlish look. She was slender with some curves on her, and wore a white T-shirt, baggy cloth gray pants and a sapphire colored bathrobe that matched her eyes exactly. "My babies...." She had her arms around the twins who were kissing her cheeks. "What in blazes are you doing here? Oh God, you weren't expelled again were you?" She demanded.  
  
"No, mum, the Headmaster gave us permission to come here." Luna said, hugging her mother.  
  
"Her idea." Lupus nodded at me. Their mother looked at me, and her eyes went wide.  
  
"Lily?" She whispered.  
  
"No, ma'am." I said, stepping forward. "Jasmine. Their daughter?"  
  
"Oh yes.... of course...." Ivana let go of her kids and stepped forward, staring at me in total amazement. "You look exactly like your mother. Except the eyes...."  
  
"And those two look exactly like their father except the eyes." I said and Ivana jerked back.  
  
"Go to your rooms." She told the twins.  
  
"MOM!" They whined.  
  
"Now."  
  
"Aw man...." The two trouped upstairs. Ivana turned to me and guided me into the living room. She waved her wand and two cups of tea appeared.  
  
"Why are you here? Why did you bring my kids here?" She asked, staring at me.  
  
"They don't even know who their father is. Do they." I said rather then asked.  
  
Ivana sat back against her chair and stared at the fire in the fireplace which she conjured up. "No. I haven't told them anything. I take it you know?"  
  
"Remus Lupin." I said and Ivana closed her eyes. "He's my godfather."  
  
"I know. He's the one who told me about you.... no one was supposed to know but-"  
  
"Your husband couldn't keep it from you." I finished and she nodded.  
  
"Yeah.... God I love him.... there were only three of us who truly were Gryffindors." Ivana said, opening her eyes again. "James and Lily were so strong and brave. They knew Voldemort was after them.... and Harry yet....they didn't let the fear succumb to them." She said and took a sip of her tea. "And Remus. carrying on with his condition and not letting any of us know." Ivana took a deep breath and set her cup down. "I have never told the kids anything."  
  
"You left him. Why?" I asked.  
  
"I couldn't take it. I was.... a wreck, emotionally. Ofcourse part of that reason, I suppose, was because I was pregnant.... but when it happened.... I couldn't take it. James and Lily dying.... Sir-.... Black- Sirius killing Peter. Or so I thought you know ever since the truth came out in the summer.... anyway, Emerin and Bert leaving." Ivana was crying now. "I couldn't take it.... it happened so fast.... it was like.... a gunshot to my heart. I loved Remus, I really did. I still do. But.... I had to leave...." Ivana looked at me and wiped her eyes. "Well I did. I came here. Then barely a month later I found out I was pregnant. I knew that that had made it worse. You know. Made me feel more vulnerable and stuff. I wanted to go back.... back to Remus but I couldn't. I thought about at least writing to him, informing him he'd be a FATHER but.... I couldn't." Ivana shook her head. "I was stupid. I was stupid, thoughtless and weak."  
  
"Remus is at Hogwarts." I said and she looked up at me. "He's the new History teacher. Sirius and Emerin are there, too. And.... what's her name? Tri.... Tri....?"  
  
"Trixie?" Ivana whispered.  
  
"Yeah. But most importantly, Remus is there." I leaned forward, looking at Ivana. "Remus deserves to know the truth."  
  
"I can't...."  
  
"Yes you can. If you still love him.... you can do this." I said, and gripped her hand.  
  
"Yeah. ...at least I won't have to tell the twins."  
  
"Yes you do." I said but Ivana laughed, and looked at the door and waved her wand. The door swung open and the twins, who had been leaning on it listening, tumbled in.  
  
"They already know now." She said.  
  
"Remus.... Professor Remus Lupin.... is our FATHER?" Lupus whispered.  
  
"Told you he looked familiar." Luna said, smacking her brother and folding her arms.  
  
*** (Remus's point of view)  
  
"This is nice.... like the old days." I said, looking up at the blue sky.  
  
"Minus five." Emerin said, stirring her tea.  
  
"Quit ruining the moment for me." I snapped and looked over at Sirius and Trixie. They were whispering to each other and laughing.  
  
"They make a great couple." Emerin said, sipping her tea.  
  
"Yeah.... wonder how long till he proposes." I said.  
  
"Hmm.... I'd say.... before Christmas." Emerin said.  
  
"No, I'd say not long after." I said.  
  
"Before."  
  
"After."  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
"Yeah. Ten Galleons."  
  
"You're on, wolf-boy." Emerin said with a Impish grin. We shook hands and turned back to the giggling couple. The four of us were stretched out outside under a tree. It was a warm day for late October so we decided to eat our lunch outside to enjoy the air. I had a feeling Sirius and Trixie were enjoying it more then Emerin and I.  
  
"By the way, have you see Jasmine?" I asked.  
  
"Nope. I haven't seen the Everett twins either." Emerin said with a slight smirk.  
  
"What are you smirking at?" I demanded.  
  
"Just thinking how familiar those twins are."  
  
"Whatever." I stretched back in the grass and stared up at the sky. I closed my eyes and felt myself drifting off to sleep. Then, Emerin's voice brought me back.  
  
"Oh my God...." I opened my eyes and sat up. Emerin was pale and she was staring behind me.  
  
"What is it?" I asked and glanced over, seeing the same look on Sirius and Trixie's faces. Then my heart seized as the voice spoke.  
  
"Hello Moony."  
  
I leapt to my feet and whirled around. It was her, standing quite a few feet away from me. But I could see those sapphire eyes sparkling at me and I felt my breath getting short. "Oh my God.... Sapphire...."  
  
No one moved.... no one spoke.... we all just stood or sat there. Then I began running to her, and she running to me.  
  
"Remus...." She sobbed as we fell in each other's arms.  
  
"Oh God, Ivana...." I whispered, closing my eyes and feeling ready to cry myself. I wrapped my arms tightly around her and held her close.  
  
"I am so sorry, Remus.... I am so bloody sorry I left...."  
  
"Shh...." I leaned back and looked down into her eyes. "That's in the past...."  
  
"Can you forgive me?"  
  
"Of course!" I said, appalled that she'd ever think that I could not forgive her. Her, the woman I loved.  
  
"Remus I need to tell you something." She said, voice filled with urgency.  
  
"It can wait." I said, holding her tightly.  
  
"No, Remus, it can't."  
  
"Yes. Whatever it is, it can wait."  
  
"Remus. Its really import-" I didn't let her finish. Just kissed her for the first time in fifteen years. Give or take a month.  
  
"I've always dreamed of you, Ivana." I said and pulled my wedding ring out of my pocket. "I've always kept this with me." I said. She looked down and I saw her wedding ring was still on her finger.  
  
"I've never removed it. But.... Remus.... please, let me-"  
  
"It's okay, Ivana." I said, sliding my ring back on and holding her hands. "Whatever it is, its fine. We're back together now."  
  
"Remus...." She pulled her hands away from me. "Shut the hell up and let me talk."  
  
"You tell him, Sapphire." Sirius snickered.  
  
"Shut up, dog-breath," I snapped, "and let her talk."  
  
"I-you-the-ARGH!" Sirius groaned.  
  
I glared at him then turned back to Ivana. "What is it?" I asked, stroking her cheek.  
  
"I am so sorry we left you."  
  
"We?" I asked in confusion.  
  
"Remus.... when I left.... I.... I wasn't alone."  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning.  
  
"I was pregnant." She whispered.  
  
"Wait a minute.... you were.... you were.... you were...." I stammered.  
  
Ivana stepped back. "Pregnant. Remus.... meet your kids." My jaw dropped and I stared as Lupus and Luna stepped forward on either side of Ivana.  
  
"Hi dad." They chorused.  
  
Then everything went black.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
"I told you, Harry. I told you. I was right." Jasmine said smugly. We were in Remus's room (he was on his bed, fainted) and I was just told everything. I looked at Lupus and Luna who looked quite amazed themselves. It all seemed a jumbled mess.  
  
"You okay, Har?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yeah just extremely.... confused." I said, shrugging.  
  
"Don't worry. So am I." Sirius said with a shrug.  
  
"You're always confused, Sirius." Trixie giggled.  
  
"He's coming to." Ivana Everett.... er, Ivana Lupin announced and we watched as Remus slowly sat up in bed.  
  
"Ugh...." He moaned and blinked at Ivana, then at the twins. "Oh God it wasn't a dream."  
  
"No it wasn't. Dad." Lupus said with a grin. "I've always wanted to say that. Well I could say it before but now it has meaning." Lupus plopped himself beside Remus and patted his shoulder. "Pops."  
  
Remus blinked at him then covered his face with his hands. "My head hurts...."  
  
"Lupus you Neanderthalian nitwit, you're confusing him!" Luna snapped, dragging her brother off the bed.  
  
"Don't touch me, stupid."  
  
"Don't call me stupid!"  
  
"You are stupid!" The two began rolling on the floor, fighting.  
  
"Kids stop it!" Ivana snapped but they ignored her.  
  
"I have KIDS?!" Remus demanded, voice muffled from behind his hands.  
  
"Hey, at least they take after you two with all that trouble they've been getting into." Emerin said with a smile as the twins rolled over her feet.  
  
Remus wearily looked at the twins. "Th-those are.... are MY kids...." He said faintly.  
  
The twins finally stopped fighting and stood up. "Dork." Lupus muttered.  
  
"Dweeb." Luna snapped and sat next to Remus. "Listen.... I know you feel really weird and disoriented right now but.... out of all the wizards I know.... I'm glad you're my dad." She said. The two looked at each other for a few minutes.  
  
"You're really my kid.... both of you." He added, looking at Lupus.  
  
"HelLO?! They look EXACTLY LIKE YOU!" Sirius snapped then mumbled; "thick headed twit."  
  
Remus blinked and looked at the twins again. "Come on, I think it's time for them to have a little.... family time." Trixie said and pushed us all out. She shut the door behind her and sighed. "Well its been an interesting day."  
  
"Oh yeah." Sirius muttered.  
  
"Come on, let's go tell Ron and Hermione and Peggy." Jasmine grabbed my arm and dragged me to the Common Room.  
  
We found the three of them and told them everything. "Oh my gosh!" Hermione gasped, eyes wide.  
  
"Wow...." Peggy said.  
  
"Jesus." Ron said, running his fingers through his hair.  
  
I sighed and looked at Jasmine who was looking thoroughly smug.  
  
***  
  
"Sir!" Sir looked as the young wizard ran in his office.  
  
"What is it.... and what is your name?" He asked.  
  
"Tyler, Sir. Tyler Rocks." The Wizard said, face shining.  
  
"What do you want, Rocks?" Sir demanded.  
  
"We've found out some of the people who brought Ron Weasley back to life."  
  
"Yes?" Sir demanded, sitting forward.  
  
"Harry Potter, Sir, like you expected. His friend Hermione Granger, and his sister Jasmine Potter. Then there were three adults, we don't know who."  
  
Sir leaned forward, his steely eyes glinting like swords. "Well you better goddamn find out who."  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
Saturday, October twenty-sixth and the dance. I was dressed all in gray with feathers glued to my arms, and a feathered hat on. I was an owl. Peggy soon appeared wearing a pale gray, almost white form-fitting dress. The sleeves hung down past her waist with feathers on it, making it look remarkably like wings.  
  
"You make a very attractive owl." I said, offering my arm.  
  
"Shut up." She growled.  
  
"Is that how you treat your date?" I asked as we left.  
  
"The only reason I am going with you, is because no one else would ask me." She growled.  
  
I grinned. "That's cause no one else has seen your-"  
  
"Shut. Up." She interrupted before I could finish.  
  
I remained silent as we went down to the Great Hall. Harry was already there. He was dressed as a pirate. Luna was dressed in a tight tropical red top, bright blue leggings and a bright green vest. She had bright red, green and blue feathers attached to her headband. "I'm in his parrot." She giggled.  
  
"I could tell." I said with a smile. Lupus soon appeared with Ginny. They were both dressed as wolves but Ginny's top was cut too low. I glared at her.  
  
"What?" She demanded.  
  
"That is too low."  
  
"Her top is cut lower then mine." Ginny snapped, indicating Peggy.  
  
"Yeah well she's not my sister."  
  
"Oh please...." She groaned.  
  
Jasmine soon appeared with Malfoy. They were vampires. "That costume really suits you, Malfoy." I sneered.  
  
"Shut up bird-brain." Malfoy growled back.  
  
"Boys...." Jasmine warned.  
  
"Don't you try anything with her, Malfoy." Harry growled.  
  
"Harry...." Jasmine hissed.  
  
"And don't you try anything with HER." Lupus said, growling at Harry.  
  
"Lupus...." Luna hissed.  
  
"And don't you try anything with Ginny." I snapped at Lupus.  
  
"Ugh!" Ginny groaned and the three girls cast glances at each other.  
  
"Oh brothers...." They all groaned.  
  
Jasmine then turned to the twins. "Will Remus and Ivana be here?"  
  
"No...." Luna giggled.  
  
"Mom and dad have A LOT to catch up on if you know what I mean." Lupus said, snickering until Luna smacked his arm.  
  
Soon the doors opened and we all went in. The night went by nicely. Peggy and I had a great time. I think she was surprised I didn't out any moves on her but I wasn't that kind of guy! ... ... .... usually. Dumbledore had the best costume, I thought. He was dressed all in brown, and had dyed his beard and hair green and had a birds nest on his head.  
  
Finally the dance was over and I walked Peggy back to the foot of her dorms. "I had a good time." She said.  
  
"So did I." I said.  
  
"Remember last year when you kissed my cheek thinking I wanted a goodnight kiss?" She asked.  
  
"Well this time it won't be on the cheek." I said and gently kissed her lips. Surprisingly she didn't slap me. I pulled away and she looked into my eyes.  
  
"Ron...." She said quietly.  
  
"Peggy." I said, stroking her cheek. She touched my hand with hers then pulled back.  
  
"Goodnight." She said and went up the stairs. I watched her leave then ran up the steps into my dorm, breathing hard. Did she like the kiss? She didn't slap me or get mad at me.... she had kissed before this year.... maybe after seeing me she changed her mind about me. Hmm...  
  
Suddenly I felt like I wasn't standing on solid ground. I looked down. The floor was missing. I threw my hands out to catch something to hold onto but the room was gone. I was surrounded by a pale gray mist.  
  
Oh no. I thought, closing my eyes. My bloody Divination powers were back.  
  
When I opened my eyes, Peggy was standing there. Her hair was down and her glasses were off. She wore a tight black dress and her arms were outstretched towards me. "Ron there are things you can't understand.... secrets too deep.... you can't know the truth about me yet. But no matter what I will love you." She whispered then disappeared. Then I was back in my dorm. Hmm, short vision.  
  
I then felt weak.... I could hardly breathe.... I closed my eyes, and sunk to my knees, clutching my chest. Then slumped forward and let the blackness overcome me.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I woke with a start in the middle of the night. I had had a fitful night full of strange dreams.... about Ron. Breathing hard, I fumbled for my glasses, slid them on and threw my curtains back. I got myself a glass of water and gulped it down. Why the hell did I have dreams about Ron?! Cursing to myself, I stared in the mirror. My hazel eyes stared at me.... knowing. I stepped back and fell onto my bed. I groaned slightly, and covered my face with my hands. I was in love with Ron. I knew it. I had to be. But I COULDN'T be. His kisses came back to me in my head.... so full of love and so sweet....  
  
No! I stood angrily up and shook my head. I could not love him. I couldn't. I had to push these feelings into a box and lock it. I couldn't love Ron....  
  
I walked to the window and looked outside at the glimmering lake. I closed my eyes and leaned against the sill. I could not and would not love Ron, no matter how hard my heart fought.  
  
I couldn't.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
I helped Ron walk back to the common room Sunday evening. "What happened last night?" I asked.  
  
"Got a specter." Ron spat out.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Vision."  
  
"Ah." I said quietly.  
  
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked.  
  
"Ni." I said and the portrait swung open.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione hugged him in greeting as we walked in.  
  
"Ouch...."  
  
"Oh, sorry." She let go.  
  
"How's Krum?" Ron asked as I helped him sit down.  
  
"Viktor is fine." Hermione said, sitting down in a chair near by.  
  
"Hey Ron, you okay?" Jasmine appeared from the girls staircase.  
  
"Fine." He said with a shrug and glanced around the common room. "Where's Peggy?"  
  
"She got a letter from her uncle this morning. Her aunt that had been attacked had gone into a coma or something like that. She'll be back in the morning." I said, eyes narrowed. Sure that's what Peggy SAID.... but was it the truth?  
  
"Glad to see you're okay." Jasmine said, hand on Ron's shoulder. "But I gotta go now."  
  
"Uh, where to?" I asked, grabbing her arm.  
  
She sighed. "Meeting Draco." She said, giving me that look.  
  
"Okay well you be careful."  
  
"I will, I will." She said and walked off. "Brothers...." I heard her mumble before leaving.  
  
I rolled my eyes and sat down. "You up for a game of chess?" I asked.  
  
Ron looked blankly at me. "What?" He asked after a moment.  
  
"Chess. You know.... your favorite game?"  
  
"Oh...." He said slowly and rubbed his eyes. "I dunno, I'm awfully fatigued.... I think I might go up to bed and take a rest." And with that, he went up the stairs.  
  
"Its been some crazy days...." Hermione said as I sunk back into the couch.  
  
"Yeah...." I turned to look at her "and it's not even Halloween yet."  
  
*** (Luna's point of view)  
  
"I should never of gone away...." Mum said, fixing my hair.  
  
"It's okay, mum. We're all back together." I said, smiling as I watched Lupus and.... DAD play Frisbee. The four of us were outside Monday afternoon for lunch.  
  
"Catch it doofus!" Lupus threw the Frisbee and it smacked me in the head.  
  
"OUCH! DORK!" I yelled, pulling away from mom and tackling Lupus. We rolled on the ground, hitting and biting and pulling hair.  
  
"Kids! Stop!" Mom said. We totally ignored her.  
  
"Take that moon-girl!"  
  
"Shut up wolf-boy!"  
  
"Kids!" Dad snapped and we stopped, looking up at him.  
  
"Okay dad." We said cheerfully, getting up.  
  
"Oh they listen to you." Mom laughed.  
  
I grinned and wrapped my arms around my DAD arm. "That's because he's our dad."  
  
Dad smiled and kisses the top of my head. "Damn right I'm your dad."  
  
"REMUS!" She screamed.  
  
"Whaaaaaaatt? Like YOU didn't say these things when we were their age." He said.  
  
"That is NOT the point." She snapped.  
  
"Damn right it's not." Lupus said and mum exploded.  
  
"LUPUS! YOU ARE GROUNDED!" She screamed.  
  
"Muuuuummmm!!! It's school! You can't ground me."  
  
"Give him detention." She informed Dad.  
  
"No." He said and mom glared fiercely at him. "Lupus, you have detention."  
  
"Awwww daaaaaaaaad!" He whined.  
  
"Ha, ha!" I said and Lupus glared at me.  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
"Harry calm down...." I told him Thursday evening at the Halloween feast.  
  
"I can't...." He said, looking at the dark swirling clouds above us. "It's Halloween."  
  
"Ron, talk some sense into him." I groaned.  
  
"Sorry, Hermione, but I have to agree with him." Ron said with a slight shrug.  
  
"Peggy?" I asked.  
  
"Oh don't look at me," She said, buttering her bread. "This is only my second year here."  
  
"You two are acting as if the world is going to end." I said.  
  
"Hermione-" Harry began.  
  
BOOM!  
  
Everyone in the Great Hall jumped as something thud into the castle. "What the hello was that?!" A Second year demanded.  
  
BOOM!  
  
Everyone looked around wildly and up at the ceiling. "What's going on?" A first year asked. Suddenly the room was full of screams as something roared.  
  
BOOM!  
  
Something huge passed the windows. I stared at them then at Harry who had a 'I told you so' look on his face. I leapt to my feet and looked at Dumbledore, waiting for his orders.  
  
"Prefects lead the students to your Common Rooms." He commanded.  
  
"Gryffindors this way!" I shouted, joining the other Gryffindor Prefects. We led them back to the Fat Lady.  
  
"Ni." Said one of the Fifth year Prefects. The door swung open and we went inside.  
  
"Hermione!" Jasmine suddenly said, grabbing my arm.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"Harry isn't here." She whispered and I looked around. Each year was huddled in a group.  
  
I looked at the sixth years. "Neville, Seamus, Dean, Donnie, Lavender, Parvati, Rose and Peggy. Oh God you're right. Ron's missing, too." I hissed.  
  
"Where would they of gone?" Jasmine demanded.  
  
"Where else? Stay here. If anyone asks, I went to the lavatory." I made sure I had my wand and took off. I left the Common Room and ran down the halls.  
  
BOOM! BOOM! THUD! ROAR!  
  
I wondered what the heck was making these noises and then leapt as someone shouted my name. I turned to see Jasmine and Peggy there. "What are you doing?!" I demanded.  
  
"Coming with you." Peggy said, her wand drawn out.  
  
"Go back to the common room now." I snapped. Suddenly we were knocked off our feet as something right outside the window we were beside roared loudly.  
  
"What the hell is that?!" Peggy demanded.  
  
"It sounds familiar." I shouted back, covering my ears. I slowly got to my feet and stared out.  
  
"Hermione?!" The two girls demanded as I screamed.  
  
"DUCK!" I leapt backwards and pressed myself to the floor seconds before a burst of fire shattered through the window and swept above us.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
Harry and I stared at the horrific scene in front of us. Dozens of dragons were swooping around the school, attacking it. "Dragons?" I whispered.  
  
"Voldemort." Harry snapped and pulled me inside.  
  
"Why would he dispatch dragons?" I demanded as we ran down the corridors.  
  
"Why else? Dragons are perfect. Attacking machines. To drag me out of here."  
  
"Why would having dragons assail the school get you out of here?" I demanded as we went up a flight of steps.  
  
"Because Voldemort knows me, Ron. He knows I'd hate to risk the lives of others because of me...." Harry stopped and looked at me. "and he's right."  
  
"The teachers can't get rid of all of these dragons on their own." I said.  
  
"Exactly." Harry said, gripping his wand.  
  
"Harry...." I whispered, getting an idea.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'll be back!" I turned and ran back down the flight of steps.  
  
"Where are you going?!" Harry shouted after me but I ignored him. I got to the front doors, took a deep breath, and stepped outside.  
  
Please don't see me.... I prayed in my head as I dashed down the pathway, towards the front gates. A dragon roared somewhere behind me and I flung myself to the ground a split second before the fire hit. My back burned with the heat but soon the fire was gone. I scrambled to my feet and continued running. The dragon did not pursue me, he went back to attacking the school.  
  
I ignored the pressing darkness of the Forbidden Forest on either side of me as I ran down the path. I should of gone to the dorms and gotten my broom but too late now. I put all my energy in running as fast as I could and soon I was in Hogsmeade.  
  
Many of the villagers were awake, listening to the distant roaring. "You!" A hag grabbed my arm. "What is going on?"  
  
"No time to talk- do you have a fireplace?" I asked.  
  
"Yes but-"  
  
"Floo powder?"  
  
"Yes but-" I pushed past her and into her house. I got to the fireplace and pointed my wand.  
  
"Incendio!" The fireplace sprang alive. I grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it in. "Romanian Dragon Institute!" I shouted and flung myself in.  
  
Moments later I toppled onto the stone floor, coughing. "What the-.... hey, you're a Weasley!" A voice shouted as I slowly got to my knees. Half a minute later, Charlie was in front of me.  
  
"Ron what the HELL are you doing here? And why is your back burnt?!" Charlie demanded, pulling me to my feet.  
  
I looked down into his face. "Dragons are attacking the school...." I managed, still breathing hard. "I-I-I-I thought.... if I came here to get you."  
  
"Someone take Ron to Kelley." Charlie said and I felt myself being passed into another pair of hands. I could hardly see, the world was blurry and sooty. "Brandon, get the others and come with me.... Ron, you'll be fine." Charlie whispered, giving my hand a squeeze.... then everything went black.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
"Harry?!" Sirius shrieked as I joined him and a group of teachers on one of the towers.  
  
"That's my name." I said.  
  
"You little.... what are you doing up here?!" He demanded.  
  
"Helping."  
  
"How?! By giving me a heart attack?!" Sirius screamed at me.  
  
"DUCK!" Trixie screamed and we pressed against the floor as a dragon swooped overheard, sending flames. "Sirius let him stay, he's got a mind like his dad's. Once he's set it on something no changing it. CASCADUS!" She shrieked and a waterfall of water put out the fire on the tower.  
  
"Help us stun one then." Sirius growled, glaring at me. I pointed my wand at an incoming dragon.  
  
"STUPEFY!" My voice rang out with Sirius, Trixie, and the three other teachers up here: Emerin, Sinistra and Alore (the Muggle Studies teacher). The dragon slowed slightly and looked confused, but then kept coming. We kept hitting it with the stunning curse until finally the wings stopped beating and it started plummeting to the ground. It got its senses and began flying again. This time when we shouted the curse, we weren't alone.  
  
I stared around me. A dozen strange witches and wizards had appeared. The dragon was stunned, and crashed to the ground. "Someone get Harry out of here!" I turned at the familiar voice and saw Charlie Weasley sprinting up the stairs.  
  
"Charlie I-"  
  
"You nothing, get down!" He snapped. I scowled but put my wand up.  
  
"Oh, he listens to you- DUCK!" Sirius shouted and we all flattened ourselves against the ground as flames shot towards us.  
  
"Jake, get Harry out of here." Charlie commanded.  
  
A tall, muscular wizard with blonde hair stepped forward. I found myself being lifted and carried down. "Let go of me!" I yelled but he ignored me. When we were down the stairs, he set me down. "All right, all right I'll go to the common room." I growled and began walking back to the common room. I paused at a window and looked out. There was four dragons down, and about twenty-some still in the air. They'd never win....  
  
I swore loudly, and pulled out my wand when I heard a scream. It sounded like Peggy. I ran down the halls as fast as I could, down a flight of stairs and found Peggy kneeling on the ground.  
  
"What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be in the common room!" I demanded.  
  
"So are you." Peggy said between sniffles and I saw she was crying.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Hermione, Jasmine and I were looking for you and Ron and three times a dragon shot fire through windows near us and three times we escaped, unscathed but the fourth time...." Peggy pointed down the hall. Hermione was pressed against the wall, flames surrounding her.... and on her. Jasmine was no where in sight.  
  
"Go to the common room. Now." I commanded, aiming my wand at Hermione. "Cascadus!" I shouted and water hit her and put out the fire. She collapsed to the ground and I ran to her side. Tears were streaming down her face.  
  
"My legs...." She whispered. I saw her legs were raw with burn marks.  
  
"I'll get you to the common room." I promised and picked her up..  
  
"Jasmine.... I don't know if she's okay...." Hermione cried, hugging me around my neck.  
  
"Let's just concentrate on getting you to safety." I said as I stood up. "Thank goodness you're light."  
  
I went down the corridors, down stairs and up others, wishing there was a quick way to the common room. Finally I got to the Fat Lady. I told her the password and carried Hermione inside.  
  
"What's happening?!" Luna and Lupus ran over.  
  
"Dragons." I said, carefully laying Hermione down on the couch.  
  
"The teachers?" Lupus asked, a shocked look on his face.  
  
"Fighting the dragons." I said.  
  
"Oh God.... mom.... dad...." Luna whispered and covered her face with her hands. She just got her parents back and now she could lose them both...  
  
I gritted my teeth and looked at the door. I was under orders to stay here.... but I HAD to find Jasmine. There was no bloody way I was leaving her. I pushed myself out of the common room and ran back to the floor where I found Peggy and Hermione. "JASMINE?!" I yelled, looking around. Orange flame kept bursting outside, lighting up the night sky. "Jasmine.... please be okay...." I whispered, looking down the corridor. I searched the whole floor and found nothing. Except a ghost.  
  
"Young Potter!" Nearly Headless Nick appeared, looking worried.  
  
"Have you seen my sister?" I demanded.  
  
"No." He said.  
  
"What about.... Ron?" I asked, realizing I had no clue where he had gone.  
  
"I saw him heading outside." He said.  
  
"OUTSIDE?!" WHAT THE HELL IS THAT IDIOT DOING GOING OUTSIDE?!" I screamed and Nick frowned.  
  
"I don't KNOW!!" He demanded and floated off. I swore and continued searching for my sister. I finally got to the ground floor.  
  
"God Jasmine where are you?" I demanded.  
  
"Harry...." I heard her voice through the open window. I ran over and looked out. I saw Jasmine sprawled there. I ran out the front doors and to where she lay in the grass.  
  
"Jasmine, what happened?" I whispered, holding her limp body in my arms.  
  
"I fell." She whispered back, eyes screwed shut.  
  
"How far?" I said in a voice so low I thought she didn't hear me but slowly she raised a finger.  
  
"There...." I followed her finger. It was pointing at the Astronomy tower.  
  
"Oh God...." I sobbed, holding her body. "No...."  
  
A dragon then swooped near us and burst flames towards us. Still carrying Jasmine, I ran inside. "Harry...." She cried. I ran behind the main staircase and slumped down to the floor, Jasmine in my lap.  
  
"Jasmine what were you doing up there?" I asked, tears falling onto her robes.  
  
"I went up there.... to find you.... no one.... saw me...." She said each bit as if it pained her to talk. "No one.... saw me.... fall...."  
  
"You'll be fine.... you will be fine..." I demanded. "My body.... I can hardly.... feel it...."  
  
"Jasmine, you will be fine." I said.  
  
"I don't.... think so...." She forced out.  
  
I began shaking. "No.... Jasmine...."  
  
"Harry...." She raised a hand and stroked my cheek. "You are.... the best brother.... anyone could ever have...." And her hand fell.  
  
"NO!" I screamed. "JASMINE!" I pressed my hand against her chest. She was still alive.... but barely. "Jasmine no...." I sobbed. "don't die... you can't die... you're my only family..." My face was in her shoulder now. "don't leave me.... Jasmine, I love you so much.... I'll die without you...." 


	14. Ron and Peggy

Thanks to: Alexial, Sasami Jurai, Sikokid and Jodi! I hope you like this chapter as well as everyone else who reads (but doesn't review *sigh* oh well!!) Alexial this chapter is dedicated to you since you figured out that Peg likes Ron :-D  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN- Ron and Peggy (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
I rolled over and squinted my eyes open. I was in the hospital wing. Rolling back onto my back, I stared at the ceiling. Groaning, I sat up and blinked around me. I saw the sleeping figure of Hermione across the room from me.  
  
"What?" I asked, running my fingers through my hair. The last thing I remembered.... I went to the Astronomy tower to find Harry.... I closed my eyes and could see the images around me. Wizards and witches, most of them strange, fighting off the dragons. I was too near the edge.... I didn't hear one of them shout a dragon was coming....  
  
I clenched at my hair and tried remembering more. The dragon swooping.... I turned just in time to see it there.... I fell over backwards and plummeted to the ground....  
  
Everything was dark for a while then I felt immense pain.... I felt my body....  
  
I began crying now. I had felt it.... I felt like I would die.... then I heard Harry calling for me. I was weak.... but I replied. He ran out.... then carried me inside.  
  
I knew it.... I knew I'd die....  
  
Then.... why was I alive?  
  
I looked around the hospital. In the bed next to mine, lay Harry. I slowly swung my legs out of bed and rubbed my head. "Jasmine!" I looked up and smiled as Remus ran into the room.  
  
"Remus." I lifted my arms and hugged him as he bent over. I felt a rush of happiness as his arms tightened around me.  
  
"Oh thank Merlin you're all right." He whispered.  
  
"What's wrong with Harry?" I asked as he pulled away.  
  
"Well...." Remus put a bunch of flowers in a vase and sat down. "You've heard of the Life-Giving charm?" He asked.  
  
"Yes...." I said then looked at Harry. "He didn't...."  
  
"He did." Remus said, eyes staring at my brother's body.  
  
"But.... oh no wonder he's here.... help me up." I grabbed Remus's hand and he helped me up, and over to his bed. I sunk down on it next to him and looked at his pale face. The Life-Giving charm....  
  
"You know the only reason he's still alive?" Remus asked and I looked up at him.  
  
"Indulge me." I said.  
  
"The stronger the love someone has for you.... the better the charm will work...." Remus said, staring into my eyes. "I doubt there would be another alive who could make this work as well for you." He whispered, holding my hand.  
  
I turned back down and stared into Harry's face. "I know...."  
  
"Jasmine...." I looked up and saw Draco, holding a yellow acacia.  
  
"Draco...." Remus helped me up and Draco ran over. I fell into his arms and smiled.  
  
"Oh thank Merlin you're okay."  
  
"That's what Remus said." I said, giggling as I rested my head in the crook of his neck.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone." Remus said and left.  
  
Draco helped me to the bed and sat down, me in his lap. I wondered if I should tell him what happened. then figured he'd be better off not knowing.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I stared at Harry.... Jasmine.... and Hermione. But no Ron. Where was Ron? I asked this to Madame Pomfrey and she shrugged. I asked Harry and his eyes got wide.  
  
"That night Ron ran outside for something.... I don't know what but he-"  
  
"Came for me." I spun around and saw a medium height, muscular wizard with flaming red hair, freckles, and burns and blisters on him. "Hi, Charlie Weasley." He said, shaking my hand.  
  
"Peggy Morlins." I said.  
  
"Ah yeah.... Ron's mentioned you."  
  
"Where is he now?" I asked.  
  
"Hospital back at the R.D.I."  
  
"Romanian Dragon Institute." I said and Charlie nodded.  
  
"He used Floo powder in a fireplace in Hogsmeade. I told the whole story to Dumbledore. He came to get us. His back was burned really badly, and he was really weak. He's at the hospital at the R.D.I. but too weak to be moved right now. He should be fine soon. Able to come back by Monday." Charlie said and sat back in a chair. Staring at me.  
  
"What are you looking at me like that for?" I demanded.  
  
"Well.... Ron keeps mumbling stuff in his sleep.... mostly its your name."  
  
"Oh....?"  
  
"Yeah and how much he LOVES you." Charlie said with a smirk. "And something about a tattoo?"  
  
I felt my cheeks burn and I turned back to look at Harry, who was playing cards with Jasmine. "Tattoo?" Harry asked.  
  
"It's, uh, nothing." I said, going even redder.  
  
"Hey.... look...." Hermione said and held up the paper she was reading. "we're mentioned.... well not US but.... the paper says Hogwarts was ransacked by dragons.... and that the teachers, and the wizards and witches of the R.D.I. saved it."  
  
"Am I mentioned?" Charlie looked at the paper.  
  
"Not by name. The only names mentioned are Dumbledore, McGonagall, and.... Harry."  
  
"Me?" Harry asked.  
  
"It says rumor has it the dragons were sent by You-Know-Who to kill Harry Potter." Hermione read and folded the paper. "Well at least it isn't Rita Skeeter writing it."  
  
"Hell yeah." Harry said, shaking his head.  
  
I just sat back in my chair, trying not to think of Ron.  
  
Trying.... but not succeeding.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"Ron!" Harry shouted. I looked around as people cheered for me. I smiled, stepping into the Great Hall Sunday evening at dinner.  
  
Dumbledore stood to calm everyone down. "There are a few things I'd like to announce.... first off to Mr. Harry Potter I award him twenty points for helping bring down a dragon though he really shouldn't of been out." Dumbledore said. Harry grinned sheepishly. "Twenty-five points for rescuing Hermione Granger, and thirty points for risking his own life and saving Jasmine Potter's.  
  
"And second.... to Mr. Ronald Weasley for getting your brother and the others of the R.D.I., I award you one hundred points." I began blushing from head to foot as everyone cheered. "You risked your own life by running out amidst the dragons. I also award you with a Special Awards for Services to the School." I blushed even deeper and made my way to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Good job Ron!" Seamus shouted.  
  
"Thanks!" Donnie said, grinning.  
  
"Yeah, thanks for saving us." Dean said, patting my shoulder.  
  
I sat between Harry and Hermione and looked across from me at Peggy. She looked right back. "You were a total idiot for doing that." She said, adjusting her glasses.  
  
"I wasn't thinking." I said with a shrug.  
  
"That is obvious." She said and looked down at her plate.  
  
I sighed and ate my dinner, which had appeared on the tables. Why did she have to act like that? Couldn't she show some happiness for me? After dinner, I went to the common room and stretched out on a couch by the fire (everyone seemed willing to let me do what I wanted so a bunch of Seventh years gave it up for me.). I stared into the flickering flames and felt a warmth spread over me. I felt.... odd. I wanted something with me. I wanted.... Peggy.  
  
"Ron...." I looked up and Peggy was there. Hmm.... I want ten pounds of chocolate! .... .... .... .... darn it didn't work.  
  
"Peggy." I said and she sat down.  
  
"I'm sorry.... about at dinner." She said.  
  
I shrugged. "It's okay."  
  
"Ron...." She placed her hand on mine. "I.... I...."  
  
"Aye?"  
  
"I...." She took a deep breath. "I've been thinking...."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I...." She looked down at her hands which he wrung. "I think...."  
  
"You think what?"  
  
"Oh God, forget it." She snapped and stood up. "No.... yes...." She began mumbling stuff to herself. "I can't.... but I have to.... why does it have to be this way?!"  
  
"Why does what have to be like what?" I asked. She turned around, looking about to cry.  
  
"Ron, I love you."  
  
The words impaled me like a sword. But a good sword. "You what?" I whispered.  
  
She collapsed on the couch beside me. "I love you."  
  
"You do?" I asked, holding her hands.  
  
"Yes.... very much." She said.  
  
"Peggy." I stroked her cheek then leaned over and kissed her. The first was gentle and sweet. The second, tender and romantic. The third full of much passion, hunger, lust, craving. I put my arms around her and pulled her close, never wanting to let go.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I had no clue what overcame me.... something so amazing I told Ron the truth? Was love really that powerful?  
  
The first week of November went by quickly. I spent every waking moment with Ron. I couldn't bear to be away from him. I don't know why. I was so happy.... happier then I ever had before. I couldn't decide which I liked better. Spending romantic time together with him, just sitting together talking.... or the snogging. Hmm....  
  
Soon it was that Saturday, the Ninth, and Ron's first Quidditch game. I knew he'd do well on his Dragonfly. I wondered vaguely if he ever found out who gave it to him. I wasn't sure if I should tell him that I did....  
  
"Welcome to the first Quidditch game of the season!" The new Commentator, first year Lisa Jordan (who had dreadlocks and looked remarkably like her older brother Lee), announced and the crowds burst into cheers. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin!"  
  
"Go Harry! Go Draco!" Jasmine shouted.  
  
"How can you cheer for both sides?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Easy." Jasmine said and turned back to watch the teams flying about. Draco zipped by on his broom, flashing a smile at Jasmine who grinned.  
  
I turned my gaze at Ron, the fastest one out there. I was really worried about him. He really is quite weak. He stopped his broom and smiled at me. I grinned back and gave him a thumbs-up sign. "The players take their position as Madame Hooch steps out onto the field!" Lisa announced. Soon the game was going. I had my hands clasped tightly together, watching as Ron kept narrowly dodging the Bludgers. I kept glaring at the two new Beaters, third year Betty Johnson, and second year Fern Owen.  
  
"Do your job...." I whispered and winced as a Bludger missed Ron's head by inches. I really didn't like this game.  
  
Jasmine nearly screamed as Fern smashed a Bludger in Draco's direction and it slammed into his side, nearly knocking him off his broom. "Draco!" Jasmine yelled as he dropped in the sky slightly.  
  
"He's fine." Hermione said, watching as Harry did a sharp turn and dive down. Did he see the Snitch? No.... he was doing the Wronksi Feint.  
  
Jasmine nearly fainted as Harry pulled out of the dive but Draco slammed head-on into the ground. "Draco!" She yelled, leaning over the side.  
  
"Good job, Harry!" Hermione yelled and Jasmine threw a punch at her. "Hey, Malfoy is YOUR boyfriend. I don't care beans about him."  
  
"Think he's okay?" Jasmine asked, turning back and smiled as Draco slowly got up. I could see he had blood running down his face from a cut over one eye. He wiped it off, hopped on his broom and flew into the air again. "Oh thank Merlin." She breathed.  
  
The game was quite nasty. Two of the Slytherins got Ron caught between them and he nearly slammed into the stands. "CHEATERS!" I screamed, raising my fist.  
  
"They are Slytherins, of course they're cheating." Hermione said.  
  
"Hey!" Jasmine snapped.  
  
My nerves were all bundled up during the whole game but finally it was over. Gryffindor won by fifty points. I ran down onto the field, and to Ron. "You did it!" I shouted, jumping in his arms.  
  
He hugged me tightly. "I had my good luck charm in the stands." He said, kissing my cheek. We left the field and headed to the castle.  
  
"Ugh, I was all frayed during the game." I said, shaking my head.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"It's a dangerous game." I said, brushing bits of grass and stuff off his uniform.  
  
"It's a fun game."  
  
"Not to the girlfriends. Jasmine and I were all nervous." I said.  
  
"Oh man that was great when Malfoy smashed into the ground. But don't tell Jasmine I said that." Ron said with a grin.  
  
"I didn't think the Beaters did a good job." I said as he put his arm around my waist.  
  
"They did great. Not as good as job as my brothers, mind you. But good anyway." He said with a shrug.  
  
"Umm...." I said, resting my head on his shoulder. We finally got the common room and sat near the fire. It was nice and peaceful till the rest of the Gryffindors appeared and wanted to party. One of them got a Wizarding radio and tuned it into a station. Lupus and Luna appeared carting a ton of snacks and drinks.... as well as Remus, Sirius, Ivana, Emerin and my aunt.  
  
"You five aren't supposed to be in here!" Hermione said.  
  
"Shhhhhh.... ....!" Sirius exclaimed with a grin. He tapped the radio with his wand and swing music began playing. My aunt dragged him into the middle of the room.  
  
"Oh you'll never beat us." Ivana said, grabbing Remus and pulling him into the middle of the room.  
  
I smiled and sat back, watching the two couples battling it out. But it was quite obvious Remus and Ivana were the better swing dancers. "I think it was a dangerous thing bringing those guys back here." I informed Ron.  
  
"Oh yeah...." He agreed.  
  
I smiled and leaned against him, feeling quite good. Which made me feel bad. I wasn't supposed to be doing this.... but I couldn't help it. The force of love was really too powerful. I knew I'd pay for it in the end but.... as I looked up at Ron, I knew it was worth it.  
  
***  
  
Monday, November eleventh. I woke up.... and saw snow. I pushed my blankets back and ran to the window. "Snow! Girls wake up! Snow!" I shouted.  
  
"Who?" Parvati asked, yawning.  
  
"Too early...." Rose moaned. I turned and stared out the window. There was about five inches of snow on the ground, and it was snowing very thickly. All RIGHT!  
  
I jumped into my uniform, grabbed my backpack and ran down the stairs. "Morning, Peggy." Ron said as I skid to a halt.  
  
"You're up early. For you." I said.  
  
"Didn't sleep well. Insomnia." He informed me, standing up.  
  
"It's snowing." I said, grinning.  
  
"I saw." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my forehead. He was exactly three inches taller then me.  
  
"C'mon, let's go to breakfast." We headed downstairs and sat at the Gryffindor table. I stared up at the ceiling. Snow fluttered down and disappeared three feet below the ceiling. I smiled then looked down at Ron, still smiling.  
  
"So what do you want to do in Hogsmeade this Saturday?" He asked.  
  
"I dunno.... maybe I'll go ahead and get my Christmas shopping done." I said with a shrug.  
  
"Hmm, what do you want for Christmas?" He asked.  
  
"My two fwont teeth." I said in a little kid voice. He stared at me as if I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. "What?" I demanded. "Haven't you ever heard that song?"  
  
"What song?" He asked and I spit out my orange juice.  
  
"YOU'VE NEVER HEARD THAT SONG?!" I shrieked. Everyone in the Great Hall stared at me.  
  
"No....?" He asked.  
  
"You have never heard 'All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth'?"  
  
"No." He said.  
  
"You poor deprived child." I said, shaking my head. Unfortunately the soonest I could go outside and play in the snow was not until the next day after lunch, when we had a free period. I bundled up and ran outside. It had continued snowing and now it was ten inches deep. I threw myself into the snow and rolled over, grinning. "This is wonderful!" I said, making a snow angel. Ron helped me out and I drew a halo.  
  
"I have never met anyone who likes snow as much as you do." Ron laughed, holding my gloved hand in his.  
  
"Mm, I love snow." I said, resting my head on his shoulder.  
  
"I can tell." He laughed, sliding his arm around my waist. He leaned down and kissed the back of my neck, above my gold and scarlet striped scarf.  
  
"Your lips are like ice." I giggled, pulling away.  
  
"Help me warm them up then." He said. I giggled as he continued kissing my neck.  
  
"You're freezing my neck up!"  
  
"But you're warming me up!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms tightly around me.  
  
"Let's get inside. We'll have plenty of time Saturday." I said.  
  
"Hogsmeade trip." He reminded me.  
  
"Oh yeah well.... we'll still have time." We went inside and back to the common room. I peeled off my hat, gloves, scarf, boots and robes. Ron did the same and we huddled by the fire.  
  
"I still say you can warm me up better." He said with a grin. I rolled my eyes and rubbed my hands together. I suddenly felt an icy hand on my waist. I shrieked and pulled away from Ron.  
  
"Oh come on!" He laughed, pulling me close.  
  
"No! Your hands are frozen!" I yelled, trying to wiggle free. He kissed my neck and I finally managed to push away from him. "Ron, there are first years in here." I said, glancing at the students.  
  
"So?" He asked. I folded my arms and looked at him. "Okay fine, want to go to a secret passage?" "That's better." I said and we left the common room.  
  
*** (Draco's point of view)  
  
"Draco Malfoy." I glared up and saw the six other members of the Quidditch team surrounding me in a semi-circle.  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"We think you have been purposly losing to Gryffindor because that ----- of a girlfriend of yours's brother is on the team." The Keeper, Vorin Knott, sneered.  
  
I slammed my book shut. "I would never lose on purpose! And don't you DARE call Jasmine that." I sneered.  
  
"Whatever the case, we've come together and decided to kick you off."  
  
"WHAT?!" I screamed, jumping to my feet. "Y-y-you're kicking me off the team?!"  
  
"That is what we said." Vorin sneered.  
  
"You son of a-" I flew at him and tackled him to the ground. I knew I'd lose. Vorin was bigger, stronger and had the entire Slytherin house at his back. Sure enough, just after I managed to land a punch at him, Crabbe and Goyle were dragging me off. "Let GO of me!" I screamed.  
  
"Why don't you transfer out of here? Slytherin is too good for a Gryffindor trash like YOU!" Vorin snapped.  
  
"Don't you bloody well call me a Gryffindor!" I screamed, kicking my legs but the two gorillas held tight.  
  
"You ARE a Gryffindor. A goody two shoes piece of Gryffindor trash. Like your girlfriend." He sneered and I tried wrenching myself loose.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL JASMINE THAT! I swear, Vorin, when I get loose so help me I'll-"  
  
"You'll what?" He asked, folding his arms. The rest of the sixth year boys as well as the seventh, fifth and fourth were behind him. "Let him go and we'll see what he does." I fell to the floor as Crabbe and Goyle let go. I scrambled to my feet and glared at Vorin. "Go on, Draco. What will you do?"  
  
I wanted to kill him. I wanted to grab him by the neck and wring the life out of him. I wanted to shoot every horrible curse I knew at him and the rest of the Slytherins. I wanted them all to burn in a horrible agonized death.  
  
But I couldn't win if I fought them. I'd be pulverized. And then Jasmine would be mad at me for fighting them....  
  
I went over to the chair I had been sitting in, grabbed my backpack and wand, and faced Vorin. "Voldemort will be crushed and you and your stinking families will die." I sneered and walked out of the common room.  
  
As I walked down the halls, I felt an anger inside of me. Anger and fear. If my father had found out what I said.... sure ever since I started dating Jasmine, and everything he hated me. Thought I was scum and wanted me dead. But if he found what I just said he wouldn't just want me dead, he'd hunt me down himself  
  
I began running down the corridors, clenching my teeth and trying not to think of it. I was dead....  
  
I wandered down the corridors, feeling lost and confused.  
  
Finally I pulled my scarf out of my backpack, pulled on my gloves and earmuffs and went outside. My breath rose up in front of me in a little cloud as I walked through the snow. A lot of kids were outside playing. Having fun.  
  
I ignored them and went down to the lake. The edges were frozen over and I sat down beside it, staring at the thin ice. Thin. Easily broken. I could walk out over it and be done with it. My life was trash now. No friends, the whole house wanting to kill me, the rest of the houses hating me (though I didn't really care about that), my own FATHER wanting me dead, I was kicked off the house team, I was no longer rich, powerful and the heir to the biggest Wizarding fortune in England.... well one of.  
  
I stood up, still staring over the lake. I had thrown everything into the bin. All for some girl. A GRYFFINDOR girl. Plus Harry Potter's little sister. Was I stupid? Yes, I was.  
  
I dropped my backpack and took a step out on the ice. It was thick here and didn't break. Sure it'd be painful at first but then I'd be frozen and wouldn't feel myself die.  
  
I took another step. My boots crunched on the layer of snow on the ice. No one would miss me. They wouldn't even know I was gone. Not for a while, anyway. By then I'd be at the bottom of the lake.  
  
I took another step. The ice was getting thinner. Just a few more steps and it'd break. But what did I care? What did anyone care?  
  
I took a fourth step out and nothing happened. That was one problem about being lightweight.  
  
A fifth step. A sixth step. Ah, I heard cracking then.  
  
A seventh step. I could see the cracks spreading along the ice now. I inched slightly forward and saw the cracks surrounding my feet. I hoped it was deep enough and I wouldn't just be waist deep or something.  
  
Maybe just another step.  
  
I took another step and the ice gave way underneath me. But I didn't go under. I felt someone grabbing my arm. Some awesome force telling me not to do this.... I could hear it! I could hear a voice not telling me to do this! It sounded like.... it sounded like.... it sounded like....  
  
"POTTER!" I screamed, realized Potter was above me on his broom, holding my arm.  
  
"I SAID what the hell do you think you are doing, Malfoy?!" He yelled and flew me over to land. He dropped me and landed beside.  
  
"None of your business, Potter." I sneered.  
  
"You were doing that on purpose, weren't you?" He demanded. I folded my arms and turned my back to him.  
  
"Why do you care anyway?"  
  
"I don't.... but I think Jasmine would. And as much as I hate you, Jasmine loves you and it'd break her heart if you.... if you died. And I don't want her heart broken. Though why she cares for you I have no idea."  
  
"I thought you wanted us to be apart, Potter." I asked, whirling around and glaring at him.  
  
"I do."  
  
"Then why did you-"  
  
"See, if you DIE Jasmine would never realize what a ------- you are. But when you break up with her-"  
  
"I'D NEVER BREAK UP WITH HER!" I screamed.  
  
"Then why were you doing that?!" He yelled back.  
  
I glanced over the lake and saw where I would of fallen through. Fallen through and died. And Jasmine.... "Oh God." I said, closing my eyes.  
  
"I won't tell her what you were going to do. Just don't try it again." He glared at me for a second then turned and left.  
  
I sunk down in the snow and buried my head in my arms. If Potter hadn't of saved me, Jasmine would of been hurt so badly....  
  
I slowly looked up at the gray sky. Jasmine was what made all I had done worth it. I realized I did not care about the Slytherins or my team position or my richness so long as I had Jasmine.... okay well maybe I cared about my richness a little bit.  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
I looked over the many books surrounding me. I leaned forward, yawning slightly and trying not to get too sleepy. The end-of-term exams were coming up and I had to get top grades. Top. As in me getting the best. And not Ron. He may of beat me in O.W.Ls but that had to be some sort of mistake. It HAD to of been! I glanced up and glared over at him. He and Peggy were sitting on a couch talking, giggling and kissing now and then. Stupid slacker taking my grades and-  
  
"Hermione?" Harry sat down.  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"You seem.... troubled." Harry said, looking over my mounds of books.  
  
"I'm not." I said sharply. He raised his eyebrow and I sighed. "I just.... need to get good grades."  
  
"Ah..... does this have anything to do with Ron getting thirteen O.W.Ls?" He asked.  
  
"No what makes you say that ofcourse it doesn't this has nothing to do with it how dare you assume that geez Harry you're being extremely presumptuous." I said very quickly and he arched his eyebrows again. "Yes."  
  
"I thought so. Hermione don't push yourself. It'll make things worse."  
  
"I HAVE to push myself. Ron isn't. He'll get nearly failing grades like always." I said, throwing my quill down. "How is it that he beat me in our O.W.Ls? It's just not logical its like.... Bart getting better grades then Lisa." I said and Harry frowned. "'The Simpsons', an American show on the telly...." I said and he still looked confused. "Harry you live with Muggles you do know what a tell-"  
  
"Yeah I've just never heard of that show." He said with a shrug. "Dudley never really let me watch anything other then what he did. Heh, heh, I remember this other American show he loved to watch. 'Baywatch'. Oh man oh man were those girls-" He stopped short at my glare. "Er.... I don't know what you're talking about, what's 'Baywatch' never heard of it well gotta go." He pushed back his chair and ran off. I shook my head and returned to studying. Men....  
  
***  
  
That Saturday, Harry and I sat in the Three Broomsticks alone. Well, not alone. There were other students and people there but at our table we were alone. Ron and Peggy had gone off somewhere and Jasmine was with Malfoy.  
  
"So, haven't heard you complain about Malfoy in a few days." I commented to Harry.  
  
"Eh well...." He said with a shrug.  
  
"Hey kids!" Sirius and Trixie came into the place, covered with snow since it was snowing heavily. They joined us at our table and decided to see who could chug beer the fastest. After they went through their fourth beer each, Harry and I decided to go.... anywhere else. I didn't really want to see a drunk Sirius.  
  
We went to Honeydukes and bought some snacks, then walked through the snow blanketed village. "This is romantic." I sighed, wishing Viktor was with me.  
  
"Yeah, its really- OUCH!" Harry fell over, a snowball on his head.  
  
"Ha, ha!" I looked over and saw Luna, packing up snowballs.... "Oh sorry Harry, we weren't aiming for you." Luna said and I saw Ivana with her. A snowball flew past me from the other side. I turned and saw Lupus and Remus also packing up snowballs.  
  
"Want to join in our snowball fight? Hermione can join the girls side. Harry you can come with us." Remus said.  
  
"It's, uh, okay." Harry mumbled and we continued on. Next we found Emerin, building a snow woman. After we passed her, more snowball fights, and kids going sledding we continued talking. "Are you visiting Krum for Christmas?" He asked.  
  
"Yes." I said with a smile. "I can't wait to see him. I love him so much.... he's actually getting pretty good at saying my name now. Hermininny. He's almost got it." I said with a giggle.  
  
"You really like him, huh?" Harry asked slowly.  
  
"Yes." I said. He didn't speak for a few minutes. "Harry, what's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"Well...." He glanced up and I followed his gaze. Ron and Peggy were snogging under a tree. "It seems Ron's found his perfect girl.... Jasmine is in love with Malfoy.... and you and Krum are together...."  
  
"Oh." I said and touched his arm gently. "You'll find someone...."  
  
"I did like Amy but you know...."  
  
"Yeah." I said.  
  
"I.... uh....."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I did like Cho Chang...." He admitted.  
  
"I know."  
  
"You knew?!"  
  
"Yeah like, the whole school knew." I said.  
  
"What?!" Harry demanded.  
  
"Sheesh, Harry, it was so obvious!" I said and he went red.  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Anyway.... you'll find a girl soon." I said. He just shrugged and walked forward, shuffling his feet kicking up snow. I sighed heavily, feeling bad for him. I winced as a snowball hit Harry.  
  
"Harry I am so sorry!" Luna ran to his side. I frowned and watched as Luna helped Harry up, brushing the snow off of him. "I'm sorry, I was trying to hit Lupus the Braveheart over there."  
  
"You kin take awah mah snowballs. But you kin nevah take awah mah FREEDOM!" Lupus screamed from behind his fort.  
  
"He's been doing that all day." Luna groaned  
  
"FREEDOM!" Lupus screamed again.  
  
"Lupus you're grounded." Ivana said just to 'take away his freedom'.  
  
"Awww...."  
  
I turned my attention back to Harry and Luna. She was picking his earmuffs off the ground and handing them back. My eyes got wide as I realized.... those two would be a perfect couple....  
  
"I agree Hermione." I jumped as Jasmine appeared.  
  
"Agree with what?"  
  
"Harry and Luna."  
  
"I never said anything."  
  
"It was on your face."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So, how should we get them together?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
"We need to get them together." Jasmine said.  
  
"But shouldn't we just let them-"  
  
"No way! They need our help. I mean it is my brother here we're talking about, and REMUS'S kid."  
  
"You have a point, Jasmine." I said. "They need all the help they can get."  
  
"Exactly." Jasmine said, smiling.  
  
"How come I have a bad feeling about this?" I asked.  
  
"It'll be fine, Hermione." Jasmine said with a smile. "Perfectly fine."  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"This probably leads somewhere outside." Peggy said as we went down a new secret passage we found.  
  
"How do you know?" I asked.  
  
"Cold draft." Peggy replied.  
  
"Oh of course." I said, rolling my eyes. "Do we have to explore it?"  
  
"What else would we-oh." Peggy turned and smiled. "Maybe."  
  
"Maybe?" I asked, giving her puppy dog eyes. She straightened up and pushed her hair off her shoulders.  
  
"Ron don't you have ANY control?"  
  
"Not with you." I said, wrapping my arms around her waist. "You drive me crazy, Peg."  
  
"Ron...." She put her hands over mine and tried prying them off (but not too hard, I noticed).  
  
"Peg...." I replied, kissing her neck. "You don't really want to explore the passage do you?"  
  
"Yes...." She said slowly, still smiling.  
  
"No you don't." I said, kissing the other side of her neck.  
  
"Don't I?"  
  
"No." I said, staring deep into her eyes. My eyes were nearly pressed against her glasses.  
  
"Are you trying to hypnotize me?"  
  
"Maybe." I replied. "Is it working?"  
  
"Maybe." She replied with a mysterious smile. I gently kissed her lips.  
  
"I love you so much, Peg, you know that?" She frowned slightly and looked away. "Luv, what is it? What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." She said quietly. I stroked her cheek gently.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Its just...." She turned back and looked sad. "No one..."  
  
"No one what?" I asked.  
  
"No one's ever... really told me that-that they've loved me."  
  
"No one?" I asked in slight shock and she shook her head. "Your parents?"  
  
She snorted. "Hell no. My dad telling me he loved me? Well, I suppose he has in his own odd ways but never, you know, directly. No 'I love you'."  
  
"Never?" I asked, now completely shocked and she shook her head.  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
"Yes it does." I said, horrified. I couldn't imagine growing up without someone telling me they loved me. I mean sure with five brothers I heard 'I hate you' more but still...  
  
"Ron just drop it." She said sharply.  
  
"I-I just can't believe it!" I pulled back and spread my arms out. "Its just... unfathomable for me."  
  
"Please, drop it. I shouldn't of said-"  
  
"Peggy! I can't! What kind of dad doesn't tell his daughter he loves her EVER?!" I demanded. Before I went to school, I couldn't go one day without hearing dad telling Ginny he loved her.  
  
"Ron, PLEASE!" She said. I saw she was crying and stopped rambling.  
  
"I'm sorry." I whispered, holding her close.  
  
It was a few minutes before she spoke up. "Ron?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Since when did YOU say words like 'unfathomable'?" 


	15. Matchmakers

Author's Note: Thanks, Jodi, for reviewing and it is a bit hard to write the intelligent words for Ron sometimes, but usually I know what the word means (like I knew unfathomable) but sometimes if I want him to say an intelligent word, and I don't know an intelligent word for what he is saying, then I use a thesaurus. But more often then not, I know the word. I mean, *coughcough* no! I never use a thesaurus! I know every single word he says!... *coughcough* yes, uh-huh yep that's it *rolls eyes innocently*  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN- Matchmakers (Hermione's point of view)  
  
November left and December came upon us with even thicker snow. Care of Magical Creatures, and Herbology had to be canceled. I was quite upset but probably the only one who felt like that. Jasmine thought with all the extra time it'd be perfect to start our plan with getting Harry and Luna together.  
  
"So what do we do?" I asked her the evening of Tuesday the third.  
  
"Well. I thought if they got stuck together a while they might talk and get to, you know, like each other." Jasmine said brightly.  
  
"Okay...?" I asked.  
  
"Just trust me. "  
  
"How do we get them stuck together for a while?" I asked. Jasmine smiled and pointed to a door.  
  
"That leads to one of the darkrooms. I'm going to take care of Luna, she likes me. You know since her dad is my godfather she's sort of a godsister."  
  
"Okay so what about Harry?" I asked.  
  
"That's what you need to do. Get him wanting to develop a photo or something.  
  
"HOW?!" I demanded.  
  
"Hermione, you're smart, you'll think of something. Just get him in there at.." Jasmine checked her watch. "In fifteen minutes."  
  
"Fifteen? I need to think of this plan in fifteen min-oh okay fine." I turned and went to the common room. Harry was studying by the fire. "Hey Harry." I said, sitting down. He looked up and smiled.  
  
"Hullo Hermione." He replied.  
  
"Listen, I need a favour." I said.  
  
"Okay." He shut his book.  
  
"I have some photos I need developed and I don't have time right now to develop them." I said. "Will you? Please?"  
  
"Sure, Herms." He held out his hand. I looked at him in confusion. "The roll of film?"  
  
"Oh! Yes!" I ran upstairs and dug through my bags. I had a roll almost completely used up and gave that to him. "Oh yeah and make them moving." I said.  
  
"Okay." He left and I sighed. There. I did my part. Now it was up to Jasmine to do hers.  
  
*** (Luna's point of view)  
  
"Jasmine... what is this big surprise you want me to see?" I asked as I was guided along the hallways, blindfolded.  
  
"Trust me you'll like it." Jasmine said. I was stopped and my blindfold taken off.  
  
"It's a door." I said.  
  
"Go in." She urged.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just do it." She snapped.  
  
"What's behind that door?" I asked. Since I hadn't been at the castle too terribly long I didn't exactly have all the doors memorized.  
  
"You'll find out." I sighed and went in. It was a darkroom and someone was using it.  
  
"Oh, sorry!" I exclaimed.  
  
"It's okay. Oh, hi Luna." I saw it was Harry and felt slightly better.  
  
"Sorry, your sister was.." I turned and tried opening the door but it couldn't. "Jasmine!" I shouted. No answer.  
  
"What's wrong?" Harry asked, coming over.  
  
"This door is stuck." I said, jiggling the knob.  
  
"Its never stuck before." Harry tried jerking it open but it refused. He pulled out his wand. "Alohomora." But that didn't help.  
  
"Jasmine?" I called again, knocking on the door.  
  
"Jasmine, if you are out there the door is stuck!" Harry called, pounding on the door.  
  
"Is it?" Jasmine asked and I heard her trying to open it. "Wait there, I'll get McGonagall or Dumbledore or someone." I heard her retreating steps.  
  
"I guess we just wait." I said with a shrug.  
  
"I don't mind." He said and returned to the photos. I went over and looked at them. A lot were of him, Jasmine and Ron.  
  
"Are these yours?"  
  
"No, Hermione's. She didn't have time." He said and pointed at a few with the famous Viktor Krum in them.  
  
"Ah." I leaned against the table and looked around. "How long do you think it'll take her?"  
  
"Depends how fast she can find someone." Harry said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.  
  
"I mean I'm not implying I don't like being stuck with you. Well not that I do like it. I mean, I don't like being STUCK but I don't mind being stuck with you." I said and frowned. "Does that make any sense?"  
  
"Yeah, I seem to hang around people who don't make much sense. Not that you- I mean-"  
  
I laughed. "It's okay." A few more minutes past and I checked my watch. "Maybe the door just needs pushing again." I went back over and jiggled the handle and pounded at the door. I pulled out my wand and said the charm for a knife to come out the end. I ran it along the edges and tried opening it again, but nothing happened. I made the blade disappear and sat down. Finally Harry was done and sat with me.  
  
"Sure taking Jasmine a long time." He said.  
  
"Yeah.... she probably saw her boyfriend and got off track." I said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah she really likes that slimy Slytherin." He sneered.  
  
"So let's see if I have this straight. He is your mortal rival and your sister's boyfriend?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Which came first? Sister's boyfriend or-"  
  
"Mortal rival. He and I have had it out for each other since the train ride up here our first year." Harry said, playing with his watch.  
  
"No wonder you really don't like her dating him." I said quietly.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"I wonder what Lupus would do if I dated his mortal rival." I said with a smile. "Come to think of it, he doesn't HAVE any."  
  
"That narrows down your boyfriend prospects a bit." Harry said and I laughed.  
  
"I don't really have any 'prospects'. I don't even know what I WANT in a guy. All these girls are like 'Oh I want a guy with loads of muscles' or 'I want a guy who can play the guitar' and blah-dee-blah." I shook my head. "It's annoying."  
  
"Yeah. Every guy I know wants a girl to-" He stopped short.  
  
"To what?" I asked.  
  
"Um, nothing."  
  
"What."  
  
"To uh... well uh.." He went slightly red. "You know."  
  
"Have the kind of body on girls that appear on Muggle science fiction or fantasy novels?"  
  
"What?" He asked and I made curves in the air with my hands. "Oh. Yes. Man those kind of bodies are just-" Then went even redder. "But I mean I'm not like that at all! Well I mean I-well-the-" He sputtered, getting even redder. I kept giggled. "I mean, I'd choose a girl for her-personality is important to me, and a great mind and-I mean its not just a girls body that- what I'm trying to say is-well its very hard for a guy to not notice and- you see I don't care if a girls not-I mean its not just what she looks like that-well I just can't-I mean sure I notice a girls-but I swear I don't- girls just-well-I-excuse me while I go bury my head."  
  
I finally stopped laughing. "That was one of the funniest things I've ever heard."  
  
"Glad it entertained you." I noticed he was blushing the deepest blush I ever saw on a guy. But it was dark and I could of been imagining it.  
  
"I know what you meant, Harry. Trust me. After being with Lupus when he first starting noticing a girls sex appeal, I kind of have to translate stuff like that." I said with a smile.  
  
"I'm sorry if I offended you in any-"  
  
"No, I wasn't offended." I assured him and he looked quite relieved.  
  
"Good."  
  
"I have a question."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How come someone as popular as you isn't hooked up yet?" I asked.  
  
"I just haven't found any girl I really like." He said.  
  
"You sure have the pick of the litter what with almost every girl flocking after you."  
  
"Oh God don't remind me. That is so bloody annoying. Luckily its only bad after a dance is announced. Otherwise they mostly giggle and wave and smile and bat their eyelashes as they pass." He said, shaking his head. Suddenly the lights went out and we were plunged into darkness. I screamed and jumped in his lap.  
  
"Oh my God! What happened?!"  
  
"The lights went out." He mumbled.  
  
"Why?!" I shrieked, throwing my arms around his neck.  
  
"I don't know. What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." I said quickly and began hyperventilating. "I'm afraid of the dark."  
  
"I'll get a light on as soon as I get my wand out." He put his hand up to reach inside his robes. He pulled out his wand. "Lumos." I felt better as a soft light surrounded us.  
  
"Thanks for the light." I got off his lap and huddled close. "I am so scared of the dark."  
  
"How come if you don't mind me asking?" He asked.  
  
"I don't. It happened when I was seven." I said, breathing hard. "Middle of the night. Lupus decided he wanted a drink of water. He left the room and the lights went out. I got a bit scared, but not really. But then I started getting even more scared. I decided to go get him but I couldn't find the door. I started getting panicked and searched everywhere but it seemed the door had disappeared. Of course I started imagining all sorts of horrible things. Lethifolds, Nightmares, Dementors. I fainted dead away."  
  
"Oh." He said.  
  
"I don't like the dark." I said quietly. I felt him put his arm around me and felt better. I rested my head on his shoulder and stared at the light. 'This isn't so bad'. My mind thought. 'Huddled up close in the arms of a really handsome famous guy who is a total HOTTIE!'  
  
"Jasmine is taking her own sweet time." Harry finally said.  
  
"Umm-hmm." I said quietly. I closed my eyes, feeling quite sleepy all of a sudden. "Wake me up when she gets here." And I fell asleep.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
Luna's breathing slowed and I knew she was asleep. I was quite glad of that for I had been resisting the urge to kiss her for quite a few minutes. I don't know why. I didn't LIKE her. Sure, she's a sweet, smart, and intelligent girl. But I just didn't like her that way.  
  
So why had I been wanting to kiss her?  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
I checked my watch and decided to give Harry and Luna a few more minutes.  
  
"I used to play matchmaker all the time." Jason floated in circles around me. I smiled at him, and continued reading. "I do miss being alive but oh well. I mean, after being dead for quite a while you get used to it. I just wish I had died sometime in the school year and then you could come to my Deathday parties." He continued.  
  
"Well someday I'll come to one." I assured him.  
  
"You know the thing I regret the most?" He asked.  
  
"What's that?" I asked.  
  
"Marriage. Yeah, I wanted to get married and have a few kids. Not seven like Arthur, ofcourse, but a couple."  
  
"Ah." I said, reading some more.  
  
"Arthur and I had decided to try and convince one of our kids to name one of their kids after the other. You know, one of his grandkids being 'Jason Arthur Weasley the Fourth' and one of mine being 'Arthur Jason Weasley the Third'."  
  
"Maybe he'll still convince one of them." I said.  
  
"I'm a 'Third' you know. Jason Arthur Weasley the Third."  
  
"I guessed." I said.  
  
"Yeah. The first was our great-grandfather's cousin. Then our grandfather's nephew. Then me."  
  
"Fascinating." I said.  
  
"The first Arthur Jason Weasley was our great-grandfather's other cousin."  
  
"Imagine that."  
  
"Being dead gives someone a lot of time on their hands and I have been thinking." Jason floated over and sat down on my bed.  
  
"Yes?" I asked. Jason usually rambled on like this and I was getting used to it.  
  
"I decided if I were alive I'd have two sons and one daughter. I've always wanted two sons. I always wanted to name my firstborn son 'William Jacob Weasley the Fifth'. After our uncle, William Jacob Weasley the Fourth."  
  
"Umm." I said, rolling my eyes.  
  
"I had a crush on this one girl at school. Mary Dewhurst. She was really pretty. I was always too scared to talk to her. Extremely popular, you know." Jason rolled onto his back and went through my bed. He popped back up and sat back down. "I thought she'd snub me but during my funereal she confessed to my dead body she liked me. I always wonder what happened to her." Jason sighed and I knew he was about to continue on so I shut my book.  
  
"Oh look at the time, time to let Harry and Luna out." I headed to the darkroom and used the reverse spell on the 'door jam' spell I had used on it. I found the two against the wall. Luna was asleep in Harry's arm. "Jasmine what took so long? Luna, wake up."  
  
Luna yawned and opened her eyes. "Oh, Jasmine, what took so long?"  
  
"I uh. got lost." I said. The two walked out and I frowned at the darkness inside. "What happened?"  
  
"Lights went out." Harry said with a shrug. 'Hmm. wish I thought of doing that' I thought as I shut the door.  
  
"Bye." Luna smiled and went off.  
  
"So anything else happen?" I asked Harry as we headed to the common room.  
  
"What do you mean?" He asked.  
  
"Oh come on. You and her... stuck together in a dark room." I smiled at him and he began coughing.  
  
"Nothing happened. We talked and she fell asleep."  
  
"What did you talk about?"  
  
"Stuff." He said.  
  
"Okay then. Bye." I watched him walk off, and headed down the corridors, deciding what my next move for them would be. Boy this was fun!  
  
*** (Remus's point of view)  
  
"Remus..." I turned from the window and looked at Ivana who was tidying up our room.  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"I'm glad we're back together." She said.  
  
"So am I." I said. She walked over and sat down.  
  
"I love you so much."  
  
"I love you." I replied. She was silent and I frowned. "Okay something's wrong."  
  
"Nothing is wrong." Ivana insisted.  
  
"Something is. I can tell. What is it? You're not happy?" I asked, worried.  
  
"Oh I am extremely happy, Remus." She promised.  
  
"Then what is wrong?" She turned her back to me and leaned back.  
  
"If we were together when the twins were born what would you of suggested for names?" She asked.  
  
"I don't know. Why?" I asked.  
  
"I just was wondering." She mumbled.  
  
"I like the names Luna and Lupus."  
  
"Me too. But what would you of suggested for names?"  
  
"Hmm, I don't know. Why?" I asked.  
  
"I'm just curious." She said with a happy sigh.  
  
***  
  
"Jasmine this is stupid and it won't work." Hermione hissed in Jasmine's ear.  
  
"Of course it will. Shh. He's coming." Jasmine turned to Hermione and nodded.  
  
"I-" Hermione began but from the look on Jasmine's face, sighed. "So they were stuck together for a while?" She asked.  
  
"Yep. It was so sweet when I opened the door. Luna was asleep in Harry's arms." Jasmine said. Hermione heard Harry just on the other side of the corner, and knew he was listening.  
  
Hermione really hated to do this but what she was about to say the truth. "They'd make a perfect couple."  
  
"I think so, too. But Harry is a thick-headed dolt and would never ask her. He couldn't see the perfect girl for him even if she was right under his nose. Which she is. Anyway, I found the book let's go." Jasmine grabbed Hermione's arm and they went down the corridor.  
  
"You really think it will?" Hermione asked with a sigh.  
  
"Of course. By saying what I did, he'll do it. Trust me. I know him."  
  
"I've known him longer then you have and I don't think he will." Hermione said.  
  
Jasmine shrugged. "I have a feeling he will. A sister feeling." She said and Hermione sighed.  
  
"You are really enjoying this, aren't you?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
*** (Luna's point of view)  
  
"Hold it still, Lupus." I urged.  
  
"I am!" Lupus insisted. I tipped more of the glitter in the end of the firecracker.  
  
"It's spilling."  
  
"It's not!" Glitter sparkled down to the floor.  
  
"Told you."  
  
"Luna!" I jerked and the rest of the glitter dumped.  
  
"That was so not my fault." Lupus said and I glared at him.  
  
"Yes?" I asked, turning to Harry who called my name.  
  
"Listen, I need to talk to you. Alone." Harry said. I looked at Lupus and he sighed.  
  
"Fine, I'll go work on these myself." He gathered the firecrackers and glitter, and went off.  
  
"What did you need?" I asked as I cleaned up the spilt glitter.  
  
"Listen, I was wondering..." Harry knelt down and helped me. "You know-well see its like-and I overheard Jasmine saying-well its not what she said what was so-listen I was wondering if-Luna would you like to go on a-a-a date." He stuttered. I stared at him.  
  
"A date?"  
  
"Yes." He said, looking rather nervous. I sat back on my legs.  
  
"Well, I don't know..." I said slowly.  
  
"I understand." He said quietly and stood up.  
  
"Well its not that I don't WANT to!" I said, standing up quickly. "It's just I don't know."  
  
"When will-will you know?" He asked, wringing his hands.  
  
"I." I frowned. "don't know."  
  
"Well, uh, let me, uh, know." And he quickly walked off.  
  
Now what had brought all that on?  
  
*** (Lupus's point of view)  
  
"A WHAT?!" I yelled.  
  
"A date. Mom, dad, can I please go?" Luna asked.  
  
"No! You can't! Mom! Dad! Say no!" I shouted.  
  
"Lupus shut up! You can't control my life." Luna snapped.  
  
"I'm your older brother, ofcourse I can." I snapped back.  
  
"Lupus. Luna is asking US." Mom said.  
  
"Who asked you?" Dad asked.  
  
"Harry, actually."  
  
"I'll kill him." I said, folding my arms.  
  
"Of course you can, dear." Mom said.  
  
"I can kill him?" I asked hopefully.  
  
"Not you! Luna. She can go on the date."  
  
"Uh-huh." Dad said.  
  
"This isn't fair!" I yelled.  
  
"Why not?" Mom asked.  
  
"It-I-IT JUST ISN'T!" I yelled and stormed off angrily. I went to the common room and searched for Harry, but he was gone. He was probably in hiding. Who would know where he was? Ron or Hermione or Jasmine. I couldn't find either girl, but had a feeling I knew where Ron was. I went to his favourite passage for snogging with Peggy and sure enough, there they were. "Ron!" They sprang apart very quickly. It was funny but I was in no mood to laugh.  
  
"Lupus!" Ron snapped.  
  
"Where's Harry?" I asked, folding my arms.  
  
"WHAT?!" He shrieked. "I don't KNOW! I'm a little BUSY here."  
  
"Where's Harry?" I repeated.  
  
"Lupus, go away."  
  
"Once you tell me where Harry is."  
  
"Okay, okay let me think." Ron closed his eyes. "I don't know."  
  
"Then I don't leave."  
  
"LUPUS!"  
  
"I want to know where Harry is!" I snapped.  
  
"Fine. Let's see if I can try this." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He suddenly collapsed into Peggy's arms, pale and trembling slightly. "He's at Hagrid's hut." He said.  
  
"How'd you find out?" I asked.  
  
"Forced myself to see." He said quietly.  
  
"Ron! I thought you didn't like to do that and you haven't done any of that- " Peggy began but Ron slowly stood up.  
  
"Yes I have. I've been seeing a bit of the future."  
  
"Like what?" Peggy asked.  
  
Ron smiled slyly. "Actually I saw what we would be doing about now and if Lupus will kindly leave, you'll find out as well."  
  
Peggy giggled and blushed. "Lupus please leave."  
  
"Sure thing." I had a feeling I wouldn't like to see what they would be doing anyway. I went to my dorm, bundled up, and went to Hagrid's hut. Sure enough, Harry was there.  
  
"Hello Lupus." Harry said. I smacked him. "OUCH! Lupus?!"  
  
"How DARE you ask Luna out!" I yelled.  
  
"What?!" He demanded, leaping to his feet. "Why you little-" I easily dodged his fist and tripped him.  
  
"You are going to cancel it."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!" We began fighting quite fiercely. Hagrid's dog kept barking at us, and bounding about in circles. Hagrid pulled us apart. Both of us were dangling above the floor.  
  
"Now then you two." He said, setting us down.  
  
"I am taking Luna out on a date whether you like it or not!" Harry snapped, grabbed his cloak and stormed off.  
  
"Sorry if I mussed up your house." I growled as I stormed back to the castle.  
  
***  
  
That Saturday, I stayed up waiting for them to return from Hogsmeade. They finally did and I held Luna's arm as Harry left. Luna did look quite pretty. Her hair in two braids, pulled in a bun at the back of her neck. She wore a deep, dusky midnight blue dress. Sleeveless with a too low cut neck. Okay, so it wasn't that low. It didn't even show any cleavage but it was still too low cut. The skirt ended at her knees and was loose.  
  
"Why are you coming in so late?!" I demanded.  
  
"Lupus. It's not even eleven." She said, pulling her arm out of my grasp. "Almost the entire common room is still up!" She pointed out. I looked around and realized this was true.  
  
"Oh." I said slowly. "Right."  
  
"Now may I please go?"  
  
"No. Tell me what you did on your date." I said.  
  
"We got drunk, had sex and now I'm pregnant." She said. I glared at her. "We had dinner, we talked, we came back. What do you think?"  
  
"Did he make any moves on you?" I asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you sure? Sometimes a guy can make subtle moves. Did he touch you anywhere?"  
  
"My hand to help me out of the carriage, my arm taking me into the restaurant, my arm taking me back out and my hand helping me back out of the carriage, and my arm coming back here to the common room." She said.  
  
"What all did he say to you?"  
  
"I don't know! I can't recap the entire evening! Now let me go. I'm tired and want to get a shower and go to sleep." She turned on her heels and stormed off.  
  
"And don't wear a dress like that again!" I shouted after her.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
"You staying here for the Christmas hollys?" Ron asked me as we sat in the Three Broomsticks, Saturday the fourteenth.  
  
"Only if you are." I said, smiling.  
  
"Yeah. Mum wants me to come home because of everything but I'm not. I'm staying at Hogwarts." He said.  
  
"Then I am, too." I said. We were at a small table near the back, holding hands, our mugs of Butterbeer completely forgotten as we stared into each others eyes.  
  
"I could look in your eyes forever, Peg." He said, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb.  
  
"I'll gladly let you." I replied.  
  
"Hey look." I followed his gaze and saw Harry and Luna at a small table, chatting away happily. I also saw Jasmine and Hermione watching them with smuggy kind of happy looks. And Lupus with a sword-sharp glare at Harry.  
  
"So what do you want to do?" I asked.  
  
"Anything you do." He replied.  
  
"Yeah sure. I know what you want to do." I said and he grinned.  
  
"Okay, can you blame me?"  
  
I giggled. "Once the Holidays come up, we'll have plenty of time."  
  
"But that's another week away."  
  
"Hey up, I just realized something."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I'll be the only Gryffindor sixth year girl left." I said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. Jasmine really wants to spend the Holidays with the family that adopted her, so she's going there. Hermione is visiting Viktor Krum again. Lavender is going home.... so is Parvati. And Rose is going to her boyfriends." I said.  
  
"Hmm." He said with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Oh no. I know THAT grin."  
  
"Oh really?" He asked.  
  
I giggled. "Of course. Now I want to drink some Butterbeer." We finally let go of each others hands to sip the warming drinks.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
"Ack!" Trixie shrieked as I pounded her with a snowball.  
  
"Take that!" I yelled, laughing.  
  
"You'll get it, Sirius Black!" She shrieked and pounced on me. We went rolling down the hill in the snow. "Gotcha." She said after we stopped. She was on top and had me pinned.  
  
"Got me." I said with a smile.  
  
"You're not even going to try to escape?" She asked. I grabbed her collar, pulled her down and kissed her. She was surprised and I rolled over and had her pinned.  
  
"Ha. Gotcha."  
  
"Oh Sirius!" She said, laughing. She slid her arms around my neck, pulling me down and kissed me. "I love you." She said when we pulled apart. I smiled down at her.  
  
"And I love you." We resumed kissing in the snow, both quite happy. 


	16. Christmas Holidays

CHAPTER SIXTEEN- Christmas Holidays (Hermione's point of view)  
  
The Hogwarts Express pulling into Platforms Nine and Three Quarters Sunday evening. I got off and looked around. It was extremely dark out and snow was piled along the edges of the walls and around the benches and on the signs and lamps. A soft glow emitted from one of them and snow drifted down. "Hermininny." I turned and saw Viktor standing there.  
  
I smiled, dropped my bags and ran into his arms. "Viktor!" I said happily.  
  
"It is so good to see you." He said, gently stroking my hair.  
  
"It is so good to see you, too." I whispered back, feeling like my heart was about to burst with happiness. He leaned down and kissed me gently.  
  
"Come on." He put my stuff on a trolly and pushed it forward, and we went through the barrier, arms around each other.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
Ron and I were the only sixth year boys left in the entire castle. Neville went to his grandmothers, Dean and Donnie went to Dean's house, Seamus went home, and that's all I knew. Except Malfoy. I knew he went with Jasmine.  
  
But of course Ron spent all his time with Peggy. The first day I felt like I was going to be alone, but Luna wanted to know if I wanted to go sledding with her. After we did that, we went to Hogsmeade and had some Butterbeer.  
  
"To tell the truth, I'm glad you asked me out." She said.  
  
"Really?" I asked.  
  
"Yes. Really." She said with a smile.  
  
"I had a good time." I said.  
  
"So did I." She said quietly.  
  
And then, for some reason, I leaned over and kissed her.  
  
*** (Luna's point of view)  
  
"Mum, dad." I begun that night.  
  
"Yes?" They asked.  
  
"Harry asked me to be his girlfriend." I said.  
  
"Oh! Congratulations, honey!" Mom hugged me tightly. I grinned.  
  
"Thanks, mum."  
  
"He's a great kid." Daddy said with a nod.  
  
"Now that you've told us your news, I have some news. Lupus?" Mum turned to a scowling Lupus.  
  
"She's too young to date." He grumbled.  
  
"Oh shut up and sit down." I snapped. Sighing, he sat next to me.  
  
"Okay, I've been keeping this a secret since I found out. But I have great news." Mum said with a radiant smile. I knew right then.  
  
"You're pregnant!" I shouted.  
  
"Yes!" Mum shrieked.  
  
"OH MY GOSH THAT'S AWESOME!" I hugged mom tightly and we began squealing loudly. After about five minutes we turned to dad and Lupus. I was shocked about how much they looked at each other because they had the EXACT same expression on their exact same faces (though dad with some gray in his hair, and Lupus with blue eyes). Slowly they looked at each other.  
  
"Y-you're pregnant?" Dad finally sputtered and mum nodded, arm still around my shoulder.  
  
"I've known for about three weeks now." Mum said.  
  
"How far are you?" I asked.  
  
"Six weeks." She replied.  
  
"You're pregnant." Dad said again.  
  
"Uh-huh!" She said cheerfully.  
  
"I feel like I've been hit by a train." Dad said then fell to the floor.  
  
"It's going to be another sister. I know it will be! More torture for me!" Lupus grumbled and left.  
  
I rolled my eyes then hugged mom tightly again.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
I watched the sun slowly rise with rather sad eyes. I had just had a horrible dream. Not a nightmare. A dream. A vision-dream. And I knew what it interpreted to. But I hoped against hopes I was wrong about it or it wasn't what I thought it was or anything for it not to be what it seemed like.  
  
Peggy was going to leave me.  
  
***  
  
By that night (Monday) Peggy noticed I was acting odd and asked what was wrong. I told her it was nothing and that day whenever we kissed it seemed to be more passionate then normal. I felt bad about telling her it was nothing, but it WAS probably nothing. Peggy wasn't going to leave me. She loved me, and I loved her. So incredibly much. I wanted for us to never be apart. I wanted to be with her forever. I wanted to... to...  
  
Well that night we did. I guess with all that passion. well anyway, that is all I shall say for if I did say it, this story would be rated 'R'.  
  
***  
  
I rolled over at the sound of a voice. A mans voice. "What the hell were you thinking?" I slowly squinted my eyes open and saw Peggy was not laying beside me.  
  
"It's none of your business, Robert." Peggy said. I lay motionless.  
  
"Get dressed." Snapped the man's voice. "Now tell me- what were you thinking? It is perfectly well my business. If you go and have meaningless sex-"  
  
"It was not meaningless!" Peggy snapped and I drew in a short breath.  
  
"You're going to end up pregnant."  
  
"So what if I do get pregnant, Robert? So WHAT if I DO? What are you going to do about it?" Peggy yelled.  
  
"Listen-"  
  
"No you listen to me. You can't control me. THEY can't control me. This is MY life-"  
  
"And you pledged to-"  
  
"Forget the bloody pledge!" Peggy screamed. Then there was silence. "Get.... that.... wand.... away.... from my.... face...." Peggy hissed.  
  
"Remember the pledge."  
  
"I bloody well remember now remove that wand."  
  
"He is a regular wizard. And remember what it says?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't get involved with a regular wizard but Robert- he is not regular. He's different-"  
  
"That is what they all say. Now promise me when he wakes up, you'll break up with him."  
  
"Robert...." Peggy sounded ready to cry but I didn't move. "I can't...."  
  
"You promise this. Swear it."  
  
"Robert...."  
  
"SWEAR IT!"  
  
"Robert I can't....." Peggy was sobbing loudly now.  
  
"Do it. Do it for everything you've lived for."  
  
"Okay.. ...." Peggy sobbed. "I swear it, Robert. I swear it.... I promise...."  
  
"Good. Now then, anything you need?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. It was nice talking to you again...." I heard the swish of a cloak and someone leaving through the window and Peggy let out a loud sob.  
  
I waited for quite a few minutes then rolled over. "Peggy?" I asked, slowly sitting up.  
  
"Oh, Ron...." She said in a faint voice.  
  
"You okay? You sound weird." I said, not letting on I had heard the conversation.  
  
"I'm fine." She said quietly, sliding her glasses on. She silently watched as I got dressed. When I was done, I slid my arms around her waist and pulled her close, gently kissing her.  
  
"I love you...." I said, running my fingers up her spine.  
  
She pushed away. "I'm hungry. You hungry? I sure am." She said.  
  
I frowned and grabbed my robes. "Yeah, hungry." I said.  
  
We went down the stairs and into the common room. "Ron!" Harry called and I stopped.  
  
"I'm going ahead." Peggy said and left.  
  
"Where were you last night?" Harry asked. "You never came to bed."  
  
"Er...." I said, trying not to look guilty.  
  
"Did you and Peggy...." He trailed off.  
  
"Um.... uh.... erm...." I sputtered.  
  
Harry arched his eyebrows and walked past me. "Never mind, I'm sure I'm better off not knowing."  
  
I frowned and went down to the Great Hall. Peggy was slumped over a seat, staring down at her breakfast. "You sure you okay?" I asked, sliding in the seat beside her.  
  
"I'm fine, Ron. Perfectly fine." She said, sounding on the verge of tears. I slid my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She wouldn't break up with me.... would she? I kissed the side of her head and she sniffled slightly.  
  
"Peggy, something is wrong." I said, holding her hand with my other hand. "Does this have anything to do with last night?"  
  
"No." She said. I knew she was telling the truth. It had to do with that morning with that Robert. Who did he think we was?! Commanding Peggy like that.... "Ron," She looked up into my eyes. I stared back down, conjuring up all my feelings for her in my eyes.  
  
"Yes, luv?" I asked and she looked away quickly.  
  
"Ron.... I've been thinking...."  
  
"Yes....?" I asked, stroking her cheek. If I showed her how much I cared for her.... put it in my eyes and touch, no way could she dismiss me. Especially after last night!  
  
She pulled away from my hand as if bitten. "Ron.... listen, I think I...." She was staring in my eyes again.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I've been.... I've been thinking and...." I made my eyes a bit wider and full of even more love. She gulped and then smiled. "I had a good time last night."  
  
Ha. I knew it. She couldn't break up with me. She couldn't. I had her. I leaned down and kissed her. "So did I."  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I ran up the stairs to my dorm, sobbing loudly. I had willingly disobeyed Robert. What had I done?! I ran into my dorm and flung myself on my bed. Was Ron really worth that much to me? I couldn't.... I couldn't give it up. I WOULDN'T! And I wouldn't be given up. But did Ron love me so much he'd give it all up?  
  
"I take it by your sobs you broke up with him." I leapt out of my bed and stared at him through tear-blurred eyes.  
  
He loomed there, a full six-foot-ten. He brought on fear with one look. A single glance at him and you wanted to throw yourself at his mercy. His black shirt covered his rippling muscles, his strong shoulders were back, and his powerful chest was puffed out. Black slacks hung around his legs that could hurt you with one kick. His black robes billowed slightly in the breeze that came through the window. His hands were clenched, one around a wand. His dark eyes were narrowed and his tanned face was stern. His strong jaw was clenched. His gray and black mustache matched his wavy gray and black peppery hair. He had an extremely deadly, dangerous and very military look to him.  
  
"Robert...." I said. His name did not suit him, I can tell you that.  
  
"Well?" He demanded, twirling his wand around.  
  
"I.... yes.... of course I broke up with him." I said, a feeling of fear seizing up inside of me. I had just LIED to Robert.  
  
"I see...." Robert narrowed his eyes and pointed his wand at me. "Now then my dear, would you mind telling the truth?"  
  
"I-I-I-I am telling the truth." I stuttered, stepping back. I then felt the blow. A force shoved from his wand, slamming me back into the wall. A feeling of something big and flat pushing me. I could hardly breathe. "No.... Robert...." I gasped.  
  
"TELL ME THE TRUTH!" He yelled.  
  
"I didn't.... I didn't break up with him...." I said, tears flowing down my face.  
  
"And why not?" He hissed, pulling the spell off. I collapsed to the ground.  
  
"I couldn't.... I love him...."  
  
"He is not worthy of your love." He snapped, eyes narrowing even more. "He is not one of us."  
  
"I don't care, Robert!" I yelled and screamed as he put the spell on me once again. I took in shallow gulps of air as I was pressed tightly against the wall.  
  
"You will break up with him."  
  
"You can't control me!" I screamed.  
  
"Imperio!" He shouted. I stepped forward and was not in control of myself. "Now then. You and I know perfectly well I CAN control you. Now either break up with him on your own, or I will be forced to make you do it." And with that he took the curse off.  
  
"I'll.... break up with him...." I said in a hollow voice. He nodded and went to the window. "Oh, Robert?" I asked and he stopped, turning.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I will break up with him.... but nothing you can do will stop me from loving him." I said, glaring at him.  
  
"Fine with me." He said and left through the window, on a broom.  
  
I took a deep breath and began crying into my pillow  
  
***  
  
"Peeegggyyyyyy." I rolled over and squinted. I fumbled for my glasses, slid them on, and looked at Ron standing over my bed. "It's Christmas morning."  
  
"Is it?" I asked with a yawn. Oh yeah. Yesterday was Tuesday and Christmas Eve.  
  
"Come on, Harry and everyone's downstairs." He pulled at my arm and I got up.  
  
"Okay, go away while I get dressed." I said.  
  
"Why? I've seen you naked." He said and I snorted.  
  
"Ron!!!!!"  
  
"Peggy!"  
  
"I'll be down in a minute." I said. He smiled and left. Sighing, I got dressed and took my stuff down. Harry, Sirius, my aunt, Emerin, Remus, Ivana, Lupus, Luna, Ginny and Ron were all there. I dropped my stuff under a tree and curled up beside Ron. He put his arm around me and kissed the side of my head. Thus the paper- ripping began. I got so much stuff I don't want to waste space saying everything I got. The rest of the day went by pretty good. I felt guilty because I was going to break up with Ron. But not today, definitely no not on Christmas. And in the afternoon when everyone else was outside having a merry Christmas, Ron and I were in my dorm probably having an even merrier one.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
"Did you have a good Christmas?" I asked Luna, Christmas night as we were curled up by the fire.  
  
"Oh yes." She said, smiling. Suddenly she sat up. "Lupus!" She said. He stopped.  
  
"What?" He asked, glaring at me.  
  
"You're under mistletoe!" Luna jumped up and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.  
  
"EW! SISTER KISS! EWWWWWWWWWW!" He yelled, wiping it off.  
  
"Hey, Gin!" Luna called and Ginny walked over.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Lupus is under mistletoe." Luna said. Ginny giggled and kissed Lupus on the lips. He kind of froze and looked surprised. Blushing, Ginny went off.  
  
"That was funny." I said as Luna returned to my arms.  
  
"I know. Lupus is a nitwit." She giggled, resting her head on my shoulder. "Where's Ron?"  
  
"Uh...." I glanced at the girls staircase. "Probably very busy right now."  
  
"Mm." She snuggled closer and I smiled, arm around her.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
"This is so nice." Trixie said. We were outside, Christmas night. It was freezing and I felt hypothermia coming on. But I was going to do this, damn it! Before everything happened I put it off for months then it was too late. Now I was putting it off but I was going to do this NOW!  
  
"I'm glad you like it." I said, staring at the night sky. It was perfectly clear out. "I needed to talk to you, Trix."  
  
"Okay," She said. I took a deep breath (of cold air which didn't help me at all).  
  
"You know, we were dating a while back before everything happened and we're dating now and-and well-"  
  
"What?" She asked. I could imagine James standing over me, screaming I'm an idiot and to go on with it. I felt like something wrong was going to happen. It was me, Sirius. Something was going to go wrong. I knew it.  
  
I got on my knees and pulled out the box. "Will you marry me?"  
  
And then my fear came true for when I opened the box, the ring fell out and we had to spend twenty-three minutes searching for it because neither of us had our wands.  
  
"Found it." Trixie said with a smile.  
  
"Okay, let's try this again." I got back on my knees. "Will you marry me?"  
  
"Oh, Sirius you idiot I thought you'd never ask!" She said, throwing her arms around me. I dropped the box and we spent half an hour searching for the ring again.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"Ron." I looked up as Peggy came into the library where I was studying.  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"I need to talk to you." She said so we went to an empty classroom. It was two days after Christmas.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked. She sighed and leaned against a desk.  
  
"I've been thinking."  
  
"About?" I asked rather nervously.  
  
"Ron, I really like you but-"  
  
"But?" I asked, now completely nervous.  
  
"I....... don't........... think.......we.......should.... ....... be........... boyfriend.......and.......girlfriend."  
  
It was if the whole world crashed around me. I did collapse against the main desk. "What?" I finally asked, wondering if my heart was still working.  
  
Peggy was wringing her hands and taking short gulps of air. "I don't think we should date."  
  
"Why not?! We're a perfect couple!" I yelled.  
  
"I KNOW its just-"  
  
"What?!" I demanded, grabbing her arm.  
  
"I....... don't love you." She whispered, burst into tears and ran from the room.  
  
I fell back against the desk again.  
  
Peggy had left me.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
Luna and I were playing chess and I was actually WINNING! "Wow! Checkmate!" I said and Luna giggled.  
  
"Good game." I looked at her and smiled. But it quickly turned to a frown as Ron walked in. He was pale, and shaking. Did he predict or see a vision or something? I went over to him.  
  
'What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"Peggy just left me." He said, staring at me with hollow eyes.  
  
"What?!" I asked in shock.  
  
"She said she doesn't love me anymore....." Ron clenched his fists together tightly and I knew he was fighting off the urge to cry. "She-she-ARGH!" He pulled out his wand, and I pulled back in fear as he said the Severing charm and proceeded to chop things up in the common room.  
  
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Ron!" I grabbed his wrist after he chopped a table into splinters.  
  
"Let GO of me!" He yelled.  
  
"Ron! Calm down!"  
  
"NO!" He yelled again. I managed to get his wand from him, and he ran up the stairs to our dorm. I used magic to repair everything he had destroyed, and went upstairs. He was laying flat on his bed, stomach down and face in a pillow.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"Ron, I'm-I'm sorry." I said, sitting on my own bed. "I-I really am."  
  
"I just don't believe it. Peggy-she-we-how could she do this?" He rolled over and sat up, eyes red. "We loved each other."  
  
"Ron, not everyone stays together forever." I said quietly.  
  
"Yes but Peggy and I loved each other! Or so I thought. I mean we did-well that's not the point-and she-" He stopped and pounded his fist into a pillow.  
  
"I'll just go." I backed from the room and left him to using his pillow as a punching bag. When I went downstairs, I found Peggy on the couch, sobbing into her hands. "Peggy why did you break up with Ron?" I asked.  
  
"Harry." She looked up at me and wiped her eyes. "I-well-you see-I just don't love him anymore."  
  
"I don't believe you, Peggy." I said.  
  
"Then don't." She stood up and went to her dorm.  
  
"What's going on?" Luna asked and I told her. "Oh my God, poor Ron. Poor Peggy."  
  
"Yeah." I said, wondering what was going to happen now.  
  
***  
  
"Sir!" Tyler Rocks ran into Sir's office.  
  
"It's been months. You better have good news!" Sir barked and Tyler cringed.  
  
"I do, Sir, I do! I found out who the adults were!"  
  
"Well?!" Sir demanded.  
  
"Emerin Elm, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black." Tyler said.  
  
Sir sat back in his chair, gripping the armrests. "Well now. Isn't this an interesting twist."  
  
***  
  
"We have an announcement." Sirius informed the group in front of him consisting of Remus, Ivana, the twins, Harry, and, ofcourse, Emerin.  
  
"We're getting married!" Trixie said.  
  
"You ruined it!" Sirius grumbled.  
  
"When did you propose?!" Both Remus and Emerin shouted.  
  
"Before Christmas, right?" Emerin asked.  
  
"After!" Remus said.  
  
"Uh, neither really." Trixie admitted.  
  
"Christmas evening." Sirius said.  
  
Emerin and Remus blinked and looked at each other. "Oh MAN! We BOTH lost!" They whined.  
  
"Lost WHAT exactly?" Sirius demanded.  
  
"Er, nothing." Emerin muttered quickly.  
  
*** (Introducing.. My favourite character from ANY movie and/or TV show.. the last name HAS been changed.. But if you know who it is based on please, please, PLEASE say so.. anyway... Here he is.... based on one of the best characters in Movie/TV show history.....)  
  
A strange, very strange, man walked into Hogsmeade. He raised his sunglasses and looked around, lowered them and went into the Three Broomsticks. Everyone inside stared at him. He was long, lean and lanky. His figure was covered with khaki slacks, army boots, a large khaki jacket, sunglasses and a white hat with red words saying: 'Atlanta Hawks'. As well as a gun in his hands.  
  
"Can I help you?" Rosmerta asked.  
  
"Rosmerta!" The man smiled. "Remember me?"  
  
"Uh, no." Rosmerta said, eyeing the gun. The man took off his sunglasses and hat.  
  
"Bert. Bert Sallis." He said.  
  
"Bert!" Rosmerta said, surprised. "What are you doing back around these parts?"  
  
"Visiting. Got a letter from Albus Dumbledore saying a bunch of my old comrades are at Hogwarts." He said.  
  
"Aren't you cold?" Rosmerta asked.  
  
"Nope." Bert said, sitting on a stool. "How've you been doing?"  
  
"Fine, you?"  
  
"Great. Got a nice place back in Nevada." Bert said, accepting the beer she gave him.  
  
"America?"  
  
"Yep. So, have you seen my comrades?" He asked.  
  
"Yep, they are at Hogwarts." Rosmerta said, smiling. "Sirius, Remus, Emerin, Trixie and Ivana."  
  
"Wow, the whole lot of them." Bert said, chugging the beer.  
  
"Yeah." Rosmerta said with a smile. "Its good to see you again."  
  
"Thanks." Bert paid her and stood up. "I gotta go. See ya." He left the Three Broomsticks, and headed to Hogwarts, twirling the gun in his hands.  
  
(A/N if you know who he is based on please say so in a review!!)  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
"He won't even move." I sighed to Luna. We looked over at Peggy, who was reading silently by the fire.  
  
"Why did she break up with him again?" Luna asked.  
  
"She doesn't love him anymore." I said, shaking my head. "Yeah, sure."  
  
"I say we just waltz over there and talk to her." Luna said, grabbed my hand and dragged me over. "Peggy."  
  
"Hi Luna." Peggy said, looking up. Her eyes were red behind her glasses.  
  
"Listen, don't lie and say you don't love Ron anymore cause I know you do and he is upstairs completely miserable right now so march up there this minute, young lady, and apologize!" Luna shrieked. "And see what you've done to me? You've gone and made me sound like mom."  
  
"Luna, I appreciate your concern but-"  
  
"But nothing, Peggy!" Luna snapped.  
  
"This doesn't involve you." Peggy said, standing up. "Nor you, Harry."  
  
"Listen, Peg, normally I wouldn't put myself in the middle of something like this but-"  
  
"Then don't." Peggy snapped at me.  
  
"Peggy! My best friend is in total misery right now! Because of you. I know you two should be together. Its just a weird feeling I have." I said.  
  
Peggy sighed and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I already broke up with him. End of story."  
  
"No! No 'end of story'. Listen, I hate to tell you this but I really didn't trust you. I still don't. I just-I just don't know what to think about you. But I do know one thing and that you are the perfect girl for my best friend. Fine, deny it on the outside but you and I both know you can't deny it on the inside. It'll catch up to you someday, Peg, and you'll really regret it. So just save yourself the pain in later life, and go upstairs and apologize to Ron." I snapped at her. Then frowned. "Whoa, did I just say all that?"  
  
"Nice speech, Harry." Luna said.  
  
"You just can't understand, Harry. No one can, not even Ron. Its deeper and more difficult then you can imagine." She picked up her book and shook her head. "I am sorry I had to break up with him but I did, its done, goodbye." She turned and went up the stairs to her dorm.  
  
"Wait, did she say 'had to'?" Luna asked.  
  
I frowned again. "Yeah. ... she did."  
  
"This is really weird." She said.  
  
"Actually not really. After coming here for about six years.... . this is just completely average." I said with a sigh.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
"Oh Paaaadfoooot." Trixie's voice sang.  
  
"Oh no not again!" I hid my face behind the newspaper, wondering how she knew I was at the Three Broomsticks. She walked over and lowered my paper.  
  
"We need to talk about the wedding." She said.  
  
"Oh come on, we just talked about it two days ago!" I moaned.  
  
"Sirius! Be serious about this!" She said with a pout.  
  
"I am. Oh come on, we won't be married for what, few months? Plenty of time." I said.  
  
"James and Lily talked about their wedding a lot. Remus and Ivana talked about their wedding a lot." She snapped.  
  
"Good for them." I mumbled.  
  
"Padfoot, you will talk about the wedding with me now right or I'll dump hot cocoa down the front of your pants."  
  
"Okay, so you want it to be an outside wedding or inside?" I asked, setting the paper down.  
  
"That's better." She said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I grumbled. I sat back and folded my arms as she went on about flowers or something or other.  
  
I frowned as someone walked into the Three Broomsticks. A familiar someone. He had a large gun over one shoulder, and went over to the bar where he chatted with Rosmerta. "Trixie is it just me or does he look familiar?" I asked. Trixie looked over at the man and nodded.  
  
"He does look familiar. But I don't know anyone who carried guns about." Trixie said, sipping her hot cocoa.  
  
"Hey you two lovebirds." Emerin walked over, smiling.  
  
"Hey Emerin, we were just chatting about the wedding." Trixie said.  
  
"Are you? Now how on earth did you get Sirius to talk about the wedding?"  
  
"Oh, I can be very persuasive." Trixie said with a sweet smile to me. I scowled and began reading the newspaper. There was a large article about a Death Eater attack on a Muggle farm.  
  
"So, have you decided who is going to be your maid of honour?" Emerin asked.  
  
"No. I just can't decide between you or Ivana." Trixie sighed.  
  
"Isn't the maid supposed to be unwed or something?" I asked. The two girls stared at me. "Okay fine! I won't talk about the wedding anymore if-"  
  
"Oh no, you'll talk. Just not about this." Trixie said.  
  
"About what?" Remus and Ivana came in.  
  
"The wedding, ofcourse." Emerin said.  
  
"Budge up." Remus said, pushing a chair next to mine.  
  
"So, you decide on the new baby's name?" Trixie asked.  
  
"No. Remus won't give any good suggestions." Ivana said.  
  
"I gave three perfectly good suggestions!" Remus said.  
  
"Remus, darling, your suggestions were Sirius, James, and Bert. We are NOT naming our kids after-"  
  
"I like Sirius." I said with a grin.  
  
"No! We're not naming the kid after any of you." Ivana snapped.  
  
Remus and I looked at each other and shook our heads. "Chicks." We both said.  
  
"Men." The three women grumbled.  
  
"Excuse me," We looked up and saw the man with the gun and Atlanta Hawks baseball hat.  
  
"Yes?" We all chorused.  
  
"I hate to interrupt your conversation but all of you look very familiar." He said.  
  
"Hmm." Emerin said.  
  
"Would your names-would your names happen to be. . ." He frowned slightly and looked at us as he said our names. "Emerin, Ivana, Remus, Sirius and Trixie?"  
  
We glanced at each other, then back at up at him. "How did you know that?" Emerin asked.  
  
The man pulled off his sunglasses, eyes wide. "Ember, Sapphire, Moony, Padfoot and Pixie!" He said. I dropped my mug of beer. It couldn't be.... but it LOOKED like...."MAC?!" I yelled.  
  
"YES!" He shouted and we hugged then he hugged the others.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Trixie asked.  
  
"And why do you have a gun?" Ivana added.  
  
"Dumbledore sent me a letter saying my comrades were here and I decided to come and-well, actually okay I want-you know its really good to hear you're innocent, Padfoot." He said.  
  
"Thanks. Where've you been all these years?" I asked.  
  
"Nevada, in America." He said, putting his gun down. "What about you guys?"  
  
"I've been in America as well but not Nevada." Ivana said.  
  
"I was in Africa." Trixie said quietly.  
  
"I was in Romania." Emerin said, sipping her tea.  
  
"I was. . . here." Remus said.  
  
"I was in Azkaban." I said with a grin. "I think I got you all beat."  
  
"So, what's new?" He asked.  
  
"Remus and I have twins and I'm expecting a third kid." Ivana said.  
  
"Sirius and I are getting married." Trixie said, holding my hand happily.  
  
"I'm using a different brand of shampoo." Emerin said. "Oh, and I'm Healings professor at Hogwarts." "I'm Herbology teacher there." I said brightly.  
  
"I teach History there." Remus said.  
  
"Wow." Bert said, rubbing his chin.  
  
"What about you? What do you do?" Emerin asked.  
  
"I'm studying Muggle weaponry." He said, patting the gun. "Really fascinating. Got loads and loads of gun and ammo and the sort."  
  
"Studying Muggle weaponry?" Ivana asked in surprise. "You were always the quiet one."  
  
"It's usually the quiet one." Trixie said.  
  
"I never expected any of us to become teachers." Bert said with a smile.  
  
"It came to a shock to me as well." I said.  
  
"He's very popular as a teacher. Especially since he canceled Herbology saying 'there was too much snow'." Remus said with a grin.  
  
"There was!" I insisted. "Care Of Magical Creatures was canceled."  
  
"Yes but Herbology was inside a nice warm greenhouse, Care of Magical Creatures was outside." Trixie said.  
  
"Ssssshhh!" I said with a grin. Bert got a drink and we began talking happily, like the old school days.  
  
***  
  
"You LIED to me!" Sir yelled, tightening the curse on me. I lay on the ground, clutching my head, moaning in pain. "Where is the Stone?!"  
  
"I don't know!" I moaned loudly, gripping my head. The curse was to make it feel like a vice grip was tightening around my head. And it worked.  
  
"TELL ME!"  
  
"I DON'T KNOW!" I screamed and the curse was removed. I got up, breathing hard. Sir was livid with rage.  
  
"Bring me the kid."  
  
"What kid?" I asked.  
  
"The kid that was brought back alive!" He shouted.  
  
"NO!" I shouted back.  
  
"You're disobeying me?" Sir asked, shocked. Behind him, and to the side his little researcher Tyler Rocks was looking nervous.  
  
"Yes. I will not bring Ron here. He was just dumped by his girlfriend and is in no state to-"  
  
"I DON'T CARE WHAT STATE HE IS IN!" Sir screamed and whirled on Tyler who backed up. "Bring me the kid."  
  
"Don't do it, Tyler!" I snapped.  
  
"I-uh-"  
  
"The kid, Tyler. Go get him as soon as possible."  
  
"Don't do it Tyler." I repeated. He shot glances between us.  
  
"Tyler. Get the kid." Sir hissed.  
  
"Yes, Sir, right away." Tyler looked at me then backed out of the room.  
  
"What are you going to do to him?" I demanded.  
  
"It's none of your business now, Black." He sneered and left. I grabbed my cloak and went back to Hogwarts as soon as possible. 


	17. SHOCKED!

A/N thanks everyone who reviewed. Your reviews are greatly appreciated.  
  
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN- SHOCKED!!!!! (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
I was extremely pleased when Draco and I came home from the Holidays and found Harry and Luna were now dating. But horrified by the news of Ron and Peggy's break up. I also noticed Lupus and Ginny getting a bit chummy. Let's see.... I had a great time with my family with Draco. They were still tense around each other but getting along fairly well. Hermione insisted she had a great time with Viktor, but other then that refused to tell me anything else. Sirius and Trixie told me the good news. The last of their old comrades, Bert, came. Other then that.... nothing new. At least, not for me.  
  
A/N in this section you are going to be meeting my most popular made up character. Everyone who has read just a little about M loves him. He's probably the best character I've ever made up. And to imagine his voice, imagine Eddie Murphy's voice. *** (Ron's point of view)  
  
I slowly opened my eyes, the room around me coming in focus. The last thing I remembered was someone standing over my bed then everything going black.  
  
I was sitting in a high backed scarlet chair, in a large room. I rubbed my eyes, feeling very confused. "Comfortable?" I jerked and turned to see an extremely creepy man.  
  
"Where am I?" I demanded.  
  
"Oh that is not important, Ron."  
  
"How do you know my name? What am I doing here? And who are you?" I demanded angrily.  
  
"How I know your name, and who I am aren't important. You can call me. .... 'Sir'."  
  
"No way you bastard." I snapped. He clenched his fists but smiled.  
  
"Now then. You're different and -"  
  
"I want to go back to Hogwarts and lay there in a never ending pit of depression and self pity!" I snapped.  
  
"You died and were brought back to life. Through a very special object." He continued.  
  
"Let me g-what?" I stopped and stared at him.  
  
"The Stone of Power. Where is it?" He asked.  
  
"I don't KNOW! Let me go!" I shouted.  
  
"You can go anytime you like. No one is forcing you." He said. I stood up and walked out of the room. Hey, he was right. As I shut the door behind me, I looked up and down the hallways. They were white tiled and stretched far. Nothing but doors either side. I took a deep breath, and went down one way. People passed me but they seemed to completely ignore me.  
  
"Excuse me, where am I?" I asked a passing man.  
  
"Hallway nine, division fourteen, subdivision three, between door fifty- three and fifty-two." He said and walked away. Oh that SO helped. I looked around and went down the hall. Finally I knocked on a door.  
  
"Come in." Called a voice. I walked into a room. There was an extremely curvy young woman wearing rather tight clothes. "Do you have an appointment?" She asked.  
  
"I-uh.... not really but I'm just wondering if-"  
  
"Come in!" Shouted a voice from beyond another door. I went in and found a large office with a large desk and a large swivel chair.  
  
"Listen, I don't even know where I am." I told the chair. "I think someone kidnapped me and-and brought me here."  
  
"Let me guess. 'Sir'?" Asked a voice.  
  
"Yes! That's what he said to-to called him and he-he was interested in-well where am I?" I asked. The chair turned and I gasped. There sat an overgrown ferret? "You're in my office, that's where you are." He said, hopping onto the desk.  
  
"What are you-I mean WHO! Who are you?" I corrected myself.  
  
"My name is Mickey, I'm a Jarvey and any thick-headed wizard could see that!" He insisted, licking his paw and turned a page in the large book on his desk. "I'm head of the Jarvey operations here."  
  
"And-and-and where is here?" I asked nervously.  
  
"Hallway nine, division fourteen, subdivision five, in the office of Mickey, head of Jarvey operations." Mickey said.  
  
"Wait, I thought Jarveys couldn't-couldn't talk normally just say-just say short rude and-and mean things." I stammered.  
  
"I am a special Jarvey, nitwit." He insisted. "And a sexy one."  
  
"Uh. .... " I said slowly. "How do I get out of here?"  
  
"Use the door, carrot-top." Mickey snapped.  
  
"No, not out of this office out of this entire place!" I said, stomping my foot.  
  
"I am just in charge of Jarvey things. Are you a Jarvey?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then figure it out yourself its not my job to do that." Mickey straightened the pile of papers on his desk and pressed a button. The secretary came in. "Isn't she pretty? She's the only human I'm in charge of here. Take these papers and file them. Yes thank you, sweet cheeks." He smacked her rear end with his paw as she left. "Anyway, goodbye."  
  
"Please, I need to get out of here!" I begged.  
  
"Ask a human." He said.  
  
"I've tried!" I insisted.  
  
Mickey sighed and shook his head. "Fine, I'll help you. The things I do...." He scurried up onto my shoulder. "Okay go on out." I felt odd but left the office and went back into the hallway. "Where are you from?"  
  
"Uh, England?" I said.  
  
"Where IN." He said.  
  
"I was at Hogwarts." I said.  
  
"Hogwarts.... okay..... go down to your right." I walked down the hall to my right and kept walking. Nobody even paid attention to me. "Go through that door." Mickey pointed at a large white door and I went through. There were three long hallways branching out. "The one on the left." I went down that. We went through a labyrinth of corridors (how did he know his way through?!) until finally he guided me through a thin black door.  
  
We went through. All it was was a room and another door that was pale blue. And there was Sir. "I thought you might show up here. Hello Mickey." He said.  
  
"Hello bastard." Mickey said in reply. I raised my eyebrows but said nothing.  
  
"Now then. Ron, we need to talk."  
  
"No. I am going back to Hogwarts." I reached for the door put Sir pulled out a wand and my hand was shocked.  
  
"Let him through." Mickey snapped.  
  
"No. I need to talk to-"  
  
"You need to walk off a cliff and get smashed into tiny bits of bloody mush." Mickey said.  
  
"Mickey, this is not your affair. Go back to your office and get back to work." Sir said.  
  
"No. You can't control me!" Mickey shouted. Sir aimed his wand at me.  
  
"Ron will tell me what I need to know or else-" The door suddenly flung open and smashed Sir in the face.  
  
"Oh, oops." I blinked as Dumbledore came in the room. "I'm so sorry." He said but was obviously not sorry.  
  
"Professor!" I said.  
  
"Beard guy!" Mickey exclaimed.  
  
"Hello Ron, Mickey." Dumbledore said with a smile then turned to Sir. "I suggest you go back to your office and get your nose healed."  
  
Sir, clutching his nose, glared at us and left. "Thank you, Professor." I said.  
  
"You are welcome, Ron. Thank you, Mickey. Here." Dumbledore handed Mickey a bottle of Butterbeer.  
  
"WHOO HOO! Thank you, beard guy!" Mickey scrambled off my shoulder and left. Dumbledore guided me through the door and I found I was in his office.  
  
"Thank you, Professor." I said, bewildered. "What was-what happened-what was-?"  
  
"It's too much for you to understand right now, Ron. That man is Sir. No one knows his real name. You remember Crouch?"  
  
"Yes." I said, still confused.  
  
"Sir is a lot like him. He wants to know about the Stone and will stop at nothing to get it."  
  
"Why?" I asked.  
  
"To prevent Voldemort from getting it. He wanted to destroy it when your spirit was in it. Which, of course, would prevent you from coming back." He said.  
  
My jaw dropped. "He was really going to-"  
  
"Yes." Dumbledore said with a sigh. "Anyway, you're safe now. Go on, its morning time for school." He nodded for me to leave. As I left, I looked around but the door to that place was gone.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
"Ugh...." I slowly sat up, feeling my head pounding and my stomach yelling for food. I got dressed and went down to breakfast. I had quite a few helpings and then took some medicine for my headache. By the time the first class started, my headache had gone away. I tried concentrating in class, but felt.... .... .... weird. I groaned slightly, and leaned forward against my desk. I was extremely glad when class was over.  
  
"Are you feeling okay??" Jasmine asked me after class.  
  
"Not really." I admitted, clutching my stomach.  
  
"Maybe you should see Madame Pomfrey." She suggested. "Or wait, our next class is Healings, you could stay afterwards and talk to Emerin."  
  
"Okay...." I moaned. We went to the class and I could hardly pay attention. I was paired up with Draco still.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
"Wow, you're showing concern for someone other then yourself or Jasmine! Draco! I am so proud!" I said happily.  
  
Draco scowled. "Just answer me."  
  
"I don't think I'm okay." I admitted.  
  
"Then stay away from me. I don't want to catch anything." He said, scooting away.  
  
After class I stayed, and stepped forward. "Emerin." I said.  
  
"Yes Peggy?" She asked.  
  
"I'm not feeling well. I feel really horrible." I said.  
  
"Hmm.... let's see." She took my temperature and did other things to examine me.  
  
"Well?" I asked nervously when she was done.  
  
"Peggy, I couldn't find a single thing wrong with you." She said.  
  
"But I'm sick!" I insisted. "My stomach feels so nasty!"  
  
"Did you eat today?" She asked.  
  
"Yes! Like, fifteen helpings!" I said.  
  
"Maybe you ate too much." She pondered.  
  
I frowned. "No, I felt weird before I ate." I said.  
  
"Well, in any case I can't find anything wrong with you. Go see Madame Pomfrey."  
  
"All right. Thanks anyway." I said with a sigh, and went to see if Madame Pomfrey could find out what was wrong with me.  
  
***  
  
"Nothing." Pomfrey said when she was done examining me.  
  
"Nothing?" I asked with a frown.  
  
"I'm sorry, dear, but there is nothing wrong with you."  
  
"But I feel so horrible." I said, stamping my foot. "Horrible, horrible, horrible!"  
  
"Go to lunch." She said. I was feeling rather ravenous. I sighed and went into the Great Hall. I looked around for Jasmine, but she wasn't there. I also noticed Draco wasn't there either. I looked and saw Harry was sitting with Luna. Hermione was sitting by herself, so I went to sit with her. "Hi." I said.  
  
"Oh, hey Peggy." She said and frowned, noticing my upset face. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I feel horrible." I moaned as I put food on my plate.  
  
"Then you shouldn't eat." Hermione said.  
  
"I am so hungry." I grumbled.  
  
"Okay, okay. Eat." She said. I slumped forward and began eating. "So.. . why'd you sit with me? I don't mind, of course, just curious."  
  
"You were alone." I said.  
  
"So is Ron." Hermione said. I glanced down. Ron had isolated himself and was eating his lunch slowly.  
  
"I can't sit with Ron." I said quietly.  
  
"Peggy, you still love him, don't you?" She asked. I looked up at her. I felt as if everything inside of me was screaming to be let out. My bottom lip began trembling and I started crying.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why don't you get back with him?" She asked, surprised I was crying.  
  
"I can't, Hermione." I said, covering my face.  
  
"Yes you can, Peggy. And you should."  
  
"No, you don't understand. I want to but I can't." I said, voice muffled.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I'm not at liberty to say." I muttered.  
  
"Okay then." Hermione said gently. "You don't have to."  
  
"Hermione, why are you being so nice to me? I know you don't like me." I said.  
  
"How did-I mean ofcourse I like you." She said quickly.  
  
"You don't trust me. Neither does Harry. So why are you being so nice?" I demanded.  
  
"Well.. .." She began and set her fork down. "I am beginning to know how you feel. About people asking you things, and you not being able to answer them."  
  
"You do?" I asked.  
  
"Yes. Harry and Ron are always asking what I do with Viktor when I visit him. I don't do anything BAD. But, I just.. . I don't.. .."  
  
"You don't want them prying into your life cause its your life." I said.  
  
"Exactly. They are both so sweet. I don't know how I could of gotten through my school years without them. They are my best friends. I feel like I can tell them almost everything. Almost, mind you." She added.  
  
"I had a friend like that." I said quietly.  
  
"Er, Amy?" She asked hesitantly.  
  
"No, not Amy." I said, shaking my head. "Someone else. A boy. He was my best friend. We did tell each other everything. There was nothing one of us did, that the other didn't know about. Its like we... we were psychically connected. One time I knew he had gotten hurt even though we were far apart."  
  
"What happened to him?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Torn apart. I moved to America and.. . . we didn't see each other for years." I began to feel homesick for him.  
  
"You're not originally from America?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No. My mom was from here, from England. And my dad was from.. .. okay well actually America, but I'm not from-" I stopped short and sat up.  
  
"What is it, Peg?"  
  
"Nothing." I said quickly. "Nothing at all. I think I'm going to lay down for a while." I quickly finished my meal, and went to my dorm. Now why had I shared all that with Hermione?  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
My mind often wandered back to that strange place... it had been weeks since I was taken there. I had been taken there January fifth, and it was now February first. And we had just won our second Quidditch game. It had been against Hufflepuff, and we beat them by thirty points. But my mind was not in the game. My mind was on that place. Where was it? What was it?  
  
Another thing, was Peggy seemed to be getting weird. I was very worried about her.  
  
Saturday night, after we finished partying for our win against Hufflepuff, I went to sleep very quickly. My dream started in the common room. I was sitting by the fireplace, reading when Peggy walked down. "Hi Peggy." I said.  
  
"Ron.. ." She moaned, clutching her stomach.  
  
I frowned, and put my book down. "Peg, what is it?"  
  
"I need to see Madame Pomfrey. Please, it is of the utmost importance I see Madame Pomfrey!" She said, grabbing my arm. "Take me there even if I fight."  
  
And then I woke up, slightly confused. I knew it was a (short) vision- dream. And it was so obvious what it was telling me to do. Take Peggy to Madame Pomfrey??  
  
***  
  
"Ron, I'm fine. You don't need to do this." Peggy said. I was gripping her shoulders, and pushing her down the hall.  
  
"Listen, I still care about you. And I had a dream-vision telling me to take you to Madame Pomfrey's. So to Madame Pomfrey's, I am taking you."  
  
"Ron..." She sighed but didn't fight. We got to the hospital wing and I demanded Pomfrey look her over.  
  
"Nothing is wrong with her." Pomfrey said when she was done.  
  
"See?" Peggy asked.  
  
"Check her over more thoroughly!" I demanded.  
  
Pomfrey scowled, but did just that. This time she started to frown. "That is..." She trailed off and tapped Peggy's middle with her wand and said a spell. The end of her wand slowly glowed white. "Oh..." Pomfrey quickly pulled her wand away.  
  
"What is it? Is something wrong with me?" Peggy asked nervously.  
  
"In.. a way..." Pomfrey said slowly, frowning. She did the same thing and once more the end of her wand glowed white.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked nervously, looking at Peggy. She looked back at me.  
  
"I need to speak to her alone." Pomfrey said. Peggy squeezed my hand slightly before I went outside the wing to wait. I paced about, checking my watch and pulling at some tufts of my hair nervously. I began to feel impatient and tired and nervous. I kept putting my ear to the door to try and hear something-anything-but there was a soundproof spell on it.  
  
After what seemed to be hours, the door opened and Peggy stood there. "What is it?" I asked, eyes wide with worry. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm fine." She said in a very faint voice.  
  
"No you're not, what is it?" I demanded.  
  
"Don't worry." She said faintly.  
  
"What, do you have a deadly disease?!" I asked, voice rising slightly in nervousness.  
  
"I'm not sick. I'm fine." She said, in an even fainter voice. Her face was pale, and she was trembling.  
  
"Peggy, something is wrong." I said, gripping her hands. "I know we're not together anymore but I still love you, and care about you. Now what's wrong?!" I demanded.  
  
"I need to-to go lay down..." She said, eyes wide. She took a deep breath, pulled away from me, and ran down the halls.  
  
I scowled and stormed after her. Right up into the girls dorm, where she was outstretched on her bed. Crying. "Peg. Luv. What is it?" I asked, rubbing her back.  
  
"Go 'way, Ron." She said, voice muffled since her face was buried in her pillow.  
  
"Peggy, honey, what's wrong? What is it?" I asked.  
  
"Please, Ron, I don't want company right now."  
  
"Will you tell me later?" I asked.  
  
"Later." She mumbled. I stood up then, hesitating slightly, leaned down and kissed the side of her head. I turned, and left the girls dorms, feeling very worried.  
  
***  
  
Peggy stared at the ceiling of her dorm, above her bed. How could this of happened? Well of course she knew how. She wasn't thick.  
  
But still...  
  
"Peggy?" She heard Jasmine's voice on the other side of the curtains. Ofcourse her friends were worried. She had not left her bed (except to go to the bathroom) since she curled up in it Sunday the second. It was now Tuesday the Fourth.  
  
She wasn't that hungry cause her friends brought her up food. "What?" Peggy asked, staring at the deep scarlet to her side.  
  
"Come out of bed. You've been in there two straight days." Hermione said. "I don't want to." Peggy said. She sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Leave me alone."  
  
"Peggy..." Jasmine said and pushed the curtains aside. Peggy was in a mess. Her hair was tangled and her clothes two days old. Peggy looked up and stared at Jasmine with hollow eyes through her glasses. "Come on."  
  
"I don't want to, Jasmine." She managed to get out of her dry throat.  
  
"What is wrong, Peggy?" Hermione asked, sitting on the end of her bed.  
  
"Please just go away." She whispered.  
  
"We are your friends and won't go till you tell us what is wrong." Jasmine said, sitting next to Peggy and putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
Peggy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Ron made me go see Madame Pomfrey on Sunday." She said.  
  
"And?" Hermione asked.  
  
Peggy looked at the two of them and blinked back tears. "I'm pregnant."  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"No wonder she hasn't left her bed for two straight days." Hermione whispered.  
  
"I know." I said, pushing my hair back. It had been a couple hours since she told us, and I was still in total shock. Peggy was pregnant? I sighed and stared down at the desk.  
  
"I wonder if... if Ron knows." Hermione pondered, looking over at Ron. I mean, who else would be the father?!  
  
He was stretched out on a couch near the fire, on his back. His ankles were crossed and he had a book propped up, open, on his chest as he read. "I doubt it."  
  
"I wonder if she'll tell him." Hermione said, still staring at Ron. The look on her face was very plain: 'Ron did that?!'.  
  
"Eventually." I said.  
  
"Eventually what?" We jumped as Harry appeared and sat down, drinking from a water bottle.  
  
"Eventually... we'll.... be... out of school."  
  
"Yeah. Uh, Jasmine and I were talking about what we want to do when we're out of school." Hermione said.  
  
"So, Harry, what do you want to do?" I asked.  
  
"I dunno. Probably play professional Quidditch." He said with a shrug.  
  
I smiled at my brother. "You'll do great."  
  
"What about you two?" He asked.  
  
"Uh..." Hermione said and then made a sound that sort of sounded like 'bduh'. "I uh.. teacher." She said, tucking some of her bushy hair back. "Yeah. Teacher."  
  
"I dunno what I'd like to do." I realized. I smiled slyly at my brother. "Maybe I'll become a hooker."  
  
Harry, who had just taken a drink, spit it out all over Hermione. "Ugh, Harry!"  
  
"Jasmine!"  
  
"Joking!"  
  
"You better be." Harry said, glaring ferociously at Jasmine. "You gave me a heart attack."  
  
Jasmine just smiled and patted Harry's arm. "Harry, I'd never do that."  
  
"You better not or I'll destroy you." Harry snapped. "Sorry, Hermione."  
  
"It's okay." Hermione said, mopping the water off of her.  
  
"Where's Peggy?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, uh, up in her dorm." Jasmine said.  
  
"She has been up there for two days!" Harry said.  
  
"She's not doing well." Hermione said.  
  
"What's wrong with her?"  
  
"She-" The two girls looked at each other.  
  
"What? What is it?" Harry asked, sitting back.  
  
"Nothing." Jasmine said quickly.  
  
"What is wrong with Peggy?" Harry asked.  
  
"We can't tell you." Hermione said quietly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Its personal." Jasmine said, wrapping a red lock around her finger. "Very personal."  
  
"Is it deadly?" Harry asked, frowning.  
  
"Er, most likely not."  
  
"Most likely?!" Harry demanded.  
  
"She's..." Hermione took a deep breath.  
  
"You've got to swear not to tell anyone." Jasmine said.  
  
"I promise."  
  
"Especially not Ron." Jasmine said quickly.  
  
"Okay." Harry said, confused.  
  
"Peggy is.. .." The two girls looked at each other.  
  
"She is probably going to kill us for telling you but.. .." Hermione looked at Jasmine.  
  
"Peggy is.. .. er." Jasmine bit her lip. "She's.. .. pregnant."  
  
Harry once again spit out his water. "What?!"  
  
"Shhhh!" The girls insisted.  
  
"Peggy's-?" Harry hissed.  
  
"Yes." Hermione said.  
  
"That's what I figured she and Ron were doing Christmas." Harry mumbled, glancing at Ron. "Does he know?"  
  
"No. We're the only ones who know. Plus Pomfrey." Hermione said.  
  
"Poor girl..." Harry muttered, looking up the girls dorm.  
  
"Don't tell her we told you." Jasmine begged.  
  
"I won't." Harry promised.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
I glanced over at Peggy, who was picking at her breakfast. I studied her sad face. What was wrong? I had a feeling Harry, Hermione, and Jasmine knew what was wrong. Every time we talked, they seemed odd. And Hermione didn't like talking to me much. Not that I MINDED. It was just... weird.  
  
Peggy glanced up and our eyes locked. She looked as if she had been crying. I smiled, and she looked away. Was she deadly sick? Was that what was wrong? Was she just afraid to tell me?  
  
I glanced over at Harry, who was talking with Luna. I got up, and walked over. "Are you serious?" I heard Luna asked.  
  
"Yeah, that's what Peggy told-" Harry stopped and looked at me. "Oh, hello Ron."  
  
"Hi Harry, hi Luna." I said, folding my arms.  
  
"Er, hi Ron." Luna said, biting her bottom lip.  
  
"Okay, you know what is wrong with Peggy." I said. "So what is wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." They both said quickly.  
  
"Tell me!" I demanded.  
  
"Tell you what?" Harry asked. I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him right off his seat.  
  
"You know damn well what." I hissed.  
  
"Ron, I have no clue as of what you are meaning." He said. I groaned and let go.  
  
"Luna." I said.  
  
"Ron." She replied.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"Tell you what?"  
  
"You-ARGH!" I whirled around and stormed off. Yes, Harry knew and now Luna did, too. I knew Hermione and Jasmine knew as well.  
  
And, of course, Peggy. I glared at her and walked over. "Hullo, Peg." I said.  
  
"Hi Ron." She said, wiping her eyes. So she had been crying.  
  
"What is it?" I asked, sitting down.  
  
"What is what?" She asked quickly.  
  
"What is wrong with you." I said.  
  
"Nothing. I swear it, nothing." She replied.  
  
"Peggy, please. Tell me." I begged.  
  
"Ron, I am fine. I just-I'm fine." She picked up her bag, smiled, and walked off.  
  
I sighed and leaned against the table, wondering how many other people would find out what was wrong with her before I did.  
  
***  
  
Within the next two weeks, Luna had confided the secret to Lupus. Who felt he should tell Ginny (after all they were on the fringe of becoming girlfriend/boyfriend). Ginny was completely shocked, ofcourse. And after her friends drilled her, she told the rest of the fifth year girls. One of them felt compelled to tell her boyfriend, a seventh year. He told the rest of the seventh years. One of them informed HIS girlfriend, a fifth year Ravenclaw who told all her friends. One of them told her little sister, who told her boyfriend (a third year Gryffindor) who told the rest of the third year boys. Dennis Creevy whispered the announcement to his big brother Colin. He told the rest of the fifth year boys. One of them told Donnie Thomas, who told his cousin Dean, who was completely shocked. It would of ended with that, but Neville Longbottom overheard. Neville decided to tell his girlfriend, a fourth year Ravenclaw. She told the other fourth year girls who told the third years. One of them passed this news on to her big sister, a sixth year. Who informed the rest of the sixth year Ravenclaw girls. Padma Patil wondered if her twin knew this news, and so told her. Parvati told Rose and Lavender. Lavender reported this to her boyfriend, Seamus Finnigin. Meanwhile, another sixth year Ravenclaw girl informed her boyfriend who told all his friends. A Slytherin overheard, and smirked the news to the rest of the common room. Draco went straight to Jasmine and wondered if this was all true. She said 'yes' but at that moment, Remus passed by and wanted to know if what was true. Jasmine sighed as she told him. Remus went straight to Trixie and told her the news and also Ivana, Sirius, Emerin and Bert who was there as well. Later that day as they were talking about it, Dumbledore found this piece of news. Meanwhile, the news was passed along until the entire school knew it. Even the owls in the owlry. Everyone in the ENTIRE school knew! Except, of course, Ron.  
  
***  
  
Peggy glanced up as people passed her in the library. They looked at her, and whispered. That had been happening a lot the past few days. She wasn't sure what was up, though.  
  
"So, is it true?" Rose had appeared.  
  
"Is what true?" Peggy asked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.  
  
"You're pregnant." Rose sneered.  
  
"What?!" Peggy demanded. She was not even two months in. Was she already showing?  
  
"You are pregnant."  
  
"How did you find out?" Peggy hissed.  
  
"Oh please, the whole school knows about it." Rose said.  
  
"They WHAT?!" Peggy shrieked.  
  
"SSH!" The librarian hissed.  
  
"Yeah, the entire, like, school knows. So who's the father? Who would even get THAT close to you?" She demanded. Peggy stood up and slapped Rose across the face. She grabbed her bag, and stormed out of the library.  
  
Whispers surrounded her as she walked. So that was it. The whole school knew. How could this of happened? The only people who knew were her, Pomfrey, Jasmine and Her-no. They wouldn't of told. Peggy found them and demanded they tell her if they told. "Yes." Jasmine admitted.  
  
"Who did you tell?!" Peggy demanded, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Just Harry! He was really worried!" Hermione promised.  
  
"Then how come the entire SCHOOL KNOWS?!" Peggy yelled.  
  
"Maybe Harry told." Hermione suggested.  
  
"That little-" Peggy stopped, and stormed up to the boys dorm. She walked into the sixth year boys dorm room, and found Harry changing. He screamed, and fell behind his bed.  
  
"Peggy! You're not supposed to be-" He began but Peggy grabbed a paperweight and threw it at him.  
  
"YOU BASTARD!" She screamed.  
  
"WHAT?!" He demanded, ducking. The paperweight fell to the floor with a heavy 'thud'.  
  
"Jasmine and Hermione told you and you TOLD!" Peggy screamed, looking for something else to chuck. She didn't know why she was acting this way. Sure she was mad but sheesh! She was way overreacting. It must be the hormones.  
  
"I swear I only told Luna!" Harry said, making sure the curtains were wrapped around him.  
  
"YOU LITTLE-what?" Peggy asked, stopping right before she threw an empty glass.  
  
"I promise and swear and all that stuff I just told Luna!!! She wanted to know why I was so worried!" Harry said.  
  
"Oh." Peggy dropped the glass to the floor. "Uh, sorry about this. I'll just, uh, go and leave you to be, uh, naked in peace." Peggy turned and left, to find Luna. After she found her and screamed, Luna promised she only told Lupus. Lupus swore he only told Ginny. Ginny broke down and cried, admitting she told her friends.  
  
Peggy turned, and trudged back to the common room. Great, the whole WORLD knew about her personal life. Oh shoot. Peggy stopped in the middle of the common room, staring at Ron. He knew. He knew! Ron looked up at her, and quickly stood up. "Peggy, we need to talk." He said.  
  
Peggy backed up, and ran up to her dorm. She locked the girls door and backed against the wall. Soon enough, Ron was pounding on the door. "Peggy, unlock this door we NEED to talk!"  
  
"Go away!" Peggy yelled.  
  
"NO!... Alohomora!" The door swung open and Ron walked in. "Peggy, what is wrong?!" He demanded.  
  
"You know what is wrong." She sniffled, feeling horrible.  
  
"No I DON'T NOW TELL ME!!!!" Ron screamed.  
  
"You don't know?" Peggy asked.  
  
"NO!" Ron shouted.  
  
"Uh, nothing's wrong bye!" She shoved him out the door and shut it. Whew, that was close.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
I picked at my breakfast, feeling like a loser. Something was incredibly wrong with Peggy, and I was probably the only one in the entire school who didn't know!  
  
I glanced up as Pig flew in. Carrying a Howler. Everyone watched as Pig dropped the letter in front of me, hooting happily. I stared at the Howler in confusion. What was this for?  
  
Frowning, I nervously opened it. My mother's voice rang out through the Hall.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU DO SUCH A THING?! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE COMPLETELY EMBARRASSED, YOU ONLY BEING 16!!! I AM SHOCKED! SHOCKED!!!! I EXPECTED BETTER THINGS FROM YOU, YOUNG MAN!"  
  
I was, ofcourse, completely confused. What the hell was mum talking about?!  
  
"WHY DID YOU GO AND DO A THING LIKE THAT?! HOW COULD YOU?! AND WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?! NO, WE HAD TO HEAR THE NEWS FROM BILL!!! AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME, RONALD MATTHIAS WEASLEY THE THIRD, YOU ARE GROUNDED!"  
  
With this the Howler turned to ashes. I stared at it, jaw dropped, as laughter surrounded me. What was that all about?  
  
I heard someone crying, and looked over at Peggy. She had her face covered with her hands, and was sobbing. She grabbed her bag, and quickly ran from the hall.  
  
***  
  
It was time. I was going to confront Peggy, and demand she tell me. If she didn't, I'd-uh-demand harder!  
  
We were in her dorm, and she refused to tell me. "You will tell me now, Peggy, or so help me I'll-"  
  
"You'll what?" She demanded.  
  
"I'll-I'll use the truth curse on you!" I threatened. I knew I wouldn't but she didn't know that.  
  
"Ron." She said, wiping her eyes.  
  
"TELL ME!" I shouted. I grabbed her shoulders, and gripped tightly. "You will tell me right this second, Peggy."  
  
"I can't." She said, staring at the floor. I shook her slightly.  
  
"TELL ME!"  
  
"I'm pregnant." She cried out.  
  
I let go of her. "See, it wasn't that hard to tell me. I mean, is that all? I thought you had a deadly disease and was going to die in a month or something." I said.  
  
"Uh, did you hear me?" She asked.  
  
"Of course I heard you. I'm glad I finally found out, after all the entire school knows and-" I stopped short, blinking, and staring at her. "What?"  
  
"I said I'm pregnant." She repeated.  
  
"No. You can't be pregnant." I said, taking a step back.  
  
"I am." She said, sniffling.  
  
"No. You CAN'T be!" I shouted.  
  
"Well I AM!" She shouted back, and burst into tears.  
  
"You. Are. PREGNANT?!" I demanded. For an answer, she just cried. And as an answer for that, I fainted. 


	18. Robert

A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed: nobody *runs off crying*  
  
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- Robert  
  
Ron opened his eyes slowly, finding himself looking into Peggy's concerned face. He wasn't sure if what he just experienced was true or not. By the look on Peggy's face, he knew it was.  
  
"Oh God." Ron moaned, rubbing his head.  
  
"Ron." She said, helping it up.  
  
"How could this of happened?" Ron asked.  
  
"Uh-" Peggy started.  
  
"No, I mean I know HOW but........ argh. Damn my hormones." Ron cursed. He looked at Peggy and then down at her belly. "Oh my God." He moaned, collapsing on a bed.  
  
"Ron, I know I should of told you sooner but I thought..."  
  
"How come the whole school knows?" Ron asked.  
  
"I told Jasmine and Hermione, who told Harry, who told Luna, who told Lupus, who told Ginny, who told her friends and then it spread throughout the rest of the school." Peggy said quietly.  
  
"How could BILL of known?!" Ron demanded.  
  
"I don't know." Peggy said, sitting next to Ron.  
  
"Peggy, I am so sorry. I never meant-it was just-and all that-"  
  
"I know, Ron. I know." She said, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
Ron stroked her hair gently and looked down into her face. "I am so, so, so, so, so sorry." He whispered.  
  
"I know, I know." She whispered back. Ron wiped some of her tears away, and kissed her. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away or anything, but kissed back.  
  
And that is how Rose found them, when she walked into the dorm. "What the-"  
  
The couple pulled apart quickly. "What are you doing here?" Peggy demanded, rather angrily.  
  
"He's not supposed to be up here. He is a boy." Rose said, glaring at Ron.  
  
"Thanks for noticing." Ron grumbled.  
  
"Oh my God, is HE the father?" Rose demanded, looking hard at Ron, whose ears turned red. "Well, he's probably the only guy in the world who'd do that YOU, Pe-"  
  
Ron launched himself at Rose and they crashed to the ground. "RON!" Peggy shrieked, surprised.  
  
"BITCH!" Ron yelled at Rose.  
  
"Get off of me!" Rose said, crying. Peggy pulled Ron off of Rose, and she stood up. "Oh my God I broke a nail!" She shrieked. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit girls?!" She demanded.  
  
"Oh you're a girl? I thought you might be a-a-a-a poodle in disguise!"  
  
"I am not a-did you say 'poodle'?" Rose asked.  
  
"Get OUT!" Ron yelled.  
  
"This is MY dorm, not yours. I am telling McGonagall that you have a boy in here." Rose turned on her heels and started to leave.  
  
"Fine, then I'll tell McGonagall you've had four boys in here in three days." Peggy said. Rose froze, then slowly turned.  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"I have my ways." Peggy said.  
  
"I-the-FINE!" Rose snapped, and stormed off.  
  
"Did she really have four guys here in three days?" Ron asked.  
  
"How am I supposed to know?" Peggy asked with a sly smile.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
The next day, I went down to breakfast and was surprised to see Ron and Peggy. Sitting together. Holding hands. I shrugged, and walked over to them. "You two together again?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah." Ron said, smiling at Peggy. She smiled back.  
  
"Listen, I wanted to apologize about telling Luna." I told Peggy.  
  
"It's okay. I understand about you telling her because she was concerned about you." Peggy said, sipping her orange juice.  
  
"Thanks." I said, sitting down. I stood back up. "Unless you want me to go."  
  
"It's okay, you can sit with us." Ron said.  
  
"Okay." I sat back down beside Ron again. Soon Jasmine appeared, sitting across from me, beside Peggy.  
  
"Good to see you two together again." Jasmine said, tossing her red locks back. "I was wondering when you'd get back."  
  
The two looked at each other and smiled. "I was so stupid to ever give you up." Peggy said to him.  
  
"Why di-" Ron stopped and frowned.  
  
"What's wrong?" Peggy asked.  
  
"I'll tell you later." Ron said quietly.  
  
I looked over to where Luna had walked in. She spotted me, smiled and ran over, her light brown pony-tail bouncing. She slid in next to me, and kissed my cheek. "Morning everyone."  
  
"Morning." Everyone else said. Soon Lupus joined us, followed by Ginny who sat with him. The two smiled at each other a lot.  
  
"Okay, feeling like a third-uh-fifth-uh-seventh wheel here." Jasmine said, standing up.  
  
"Don't go." I said.  
  
"It's okay, I want to talk to Draco anyway." Jasmine pointed to Malfoy, who was standing by the doors.  
  
I scowled. "Oh."  
  
Jasmine patted my head, and went off. "So...." Luna said.  
  
"It's Saturday." Lupus commented.  
  
"A whole day of nothing to do." Ginny said.  
  
"Well, maybe you and I could find something to do." Lupus suggested with a smile. "OUCH!" He suddenly yelled.  
  
"What happened?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Someone kicked me." Lupus said, glaring at Ron who glared right back.  
  
"Ron." Ginny snapped.  
  
"What." Ron growled, still glaring at Lupus.  
  
"Nothing, never mind. C'mon, Lupus." The two left. Ron scowled even more.  
  
"Maybe we should go, too." Luna suggested.  
  
"Sure." We held hands as we strolled out of the hall.  
  
"I wonder what Ron and Peggy are going to do, uh, later." Luna said. I knew she meant when the kid was born.  
  
"Dunno." I said with a shrug. Luna smiled and tightened her grip on my hand.  
  
"You know, I'm glad you and I are together." She said. I smiled, and squeezed her hand.  
  
"So am I."  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
"What did you need to talk to me about?" Peggy and I were in her dorm, later that day. She was stretched out on her bed, nibbling on some crackers, and I stood beside her.  
  
"I-" I wanted to confront her about the man, Robert. But I didn't want her to know I had listened in! I wanted to do this, but was afraid it might ruin our relationship we JUST got back!  
  
"What is it?" She asked, staring up into my eyes. I sighed and sat down.  
  
"Who is Robert?"  
  
Peggy dropped her packet of crackers. "E-excuse me?"  
  
"Robert. Who is Robert." I said.  
  
"How do you know about Robert?" She asked, her right eye twitching slightly that reminded me in a way of Quirrell.  
  
"I-" What could I tell her? Wait! I know! "I saw it. In a vision. The entire conversation you had Christmas morning." I told her. "When I was asleep." I quickly added.  
  
Peggy sat back against her headboard and gulped slightly. "Oh."  
  
"So, who is it? Why did he say all that stuff to you?" I demanded.  
  
"It is not import-"  
  
"Yes it is!" I said more harshly then I meant. "Don't you DARE say its not important!"  
  
"It doesn't-uh-concern you." She said.  
  
"Yes it DOES. You are my GIRLFRIEND! And now you're carrying my KID inside of you! It damn well concerns me!" I snapped.  
  
"Robert.... ...." Peggy said, looking rather nervous. "Robert is........ my....... unnnclllle."  
  
"Your uncle." I said, not believing her.  
  
"Yes." Peggy said. "My uncle."  
  
"Oh." I said, not sure whether I should believe her or not. "Okay. Well, I'm going down to the kitchens, want me to bring something up?" I asked, running the back of my hand down her cheek.  
  
"Yeah, something chocolate." She said and I smiled.  
  
"That's why you're my girl." I said and she laughed.  
  
I did not, as I said I would, go to the kitchens. But I sought out Trixie. I found her playing tiddlywinks with Sirius.  
  
"Trixie."  
  
"Ron." She said, looking hard at me.  
  
"Does Peggy have an uncle named Robert?" I asked.  
  
"No. I'm her only aunt and she has no uncles." She said, and frowned. "Why?"  
  
"Just wondering."  
  
"Oh God, is someone named Robert totally bugging her?!" Trixie leapt up.  
  
"I-I-I-I don't know." I stammered.  
  
"I'll kill the----" Trixie then wove a tapestry of obscenity, that as far as I know is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan.  
  
Sirius and I were both completely shocked. "Man, even I don't even know half of those words!" Sirius whispered.  
  
"Uh.... is it safe to go near her?" I asked, backing up slightly.  
  
"Trix?" Sirius asked. Trixie whirled towards me, causing me to leap back.  
  
"Is someone named Robert bothering Peggy or NOT?!" She demanded.  
  
"I don't know! No, yes, maybe." I panicked, suddenly very afraid.  
  
"I'll kill him. I'LL KILL HIM!" Trixie screamed and stormed off.  
  
"What brought all that on?" Sirius asked.  
  
"I don't know, but someone named Robert was threatening Peggy." I said. Sirius scrambled up, looking rather angry.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. I think because Peggy and I ha-uh-were uh-um we uh-we were uh-uh-uh-uh-"  
  
Sirius just shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I better go find Trixie before she really DOES kill someone. Figures, as soon as my name gets cleared of murder she goes and-ugh! That woman is impossible!" He went off. I went to the kitchens, got some snacks and returned to Peggy's side.  
  
***  
  
That night I tossed and turned. All my bedclothes were pushed off of me, and I was laying there in my boxers, in a cold sweat. Something was wrong, oh yes. Was it because of my finding out Peggy had LIED to me? She had no uncles, let alone one named 'Robert'. But from Trixie's account, Robert seemed to bother Peggy. But why? Who was he? I did not have the answer at this moment.  
  
Finally, I got up and got myself a glass of water. I drank it with two gulps, wiped my mouth off and went back to bed. I could hear Neville snoring, and Seamus talking in his sleep. He didn't do it very often, but figures he would do it tonight. Anything to keep me up.  
  
I groaned and rolled on my back, pushing my hair from my face. I was all sweaty, but not hot. Was I getting sick? Yes, I was sick. I felt a sickness in my stomach. Like I had swallowed Gillyweed or something. I groaned and punched my feather pillow. Maybe I should just use a sleeping curse on myself or something....  
  
Suddenly I felt like I had touched a Portkey. I lurched forward, cold air rushing past me. I closed my eyes up tight, waiting for it to end. Finally it did and I found myself standing in a town. If that was what you'd like to call it. A lot of the buildings were reduced to rubble, or else burned half-way or all the way down. The smell made me nauseated. What was all this?  
  
I walked forward, staring around me in a sickening horror. Dead bodies were everywhere. I felt like I was going to throw up. And I did. This couldn't be a dream, then. Oh wait, I wasn't asleep in the first place. Then what was all this?  
  
I spun around at someone coughing. Someone was alive in this terrible, horrible scenario? Sure enough, I saw one of the things I thought was a dead body stir. It slowly lifted its burnt face. "Who are you?" It somehow managed. Its lips seemed to be burned together almost.  
  
"I-I'm a friend." I said, going forward. I knelt beside him? her? In this state, I wasn't sure.  
  
"They were everywhere." It said and began coughing. "My family. My wife, my kids." He said, looking around. I couldn't see how he could do that, his eyelids were-ugh, I didn't want to think about it. "Are they alive?"  
  
"I don't know." I muttered quietly. I wanted to look away, but felt that would be rude. However, if I continued looking at him, I'd be staring and that would be rude.  
  
"Mary." The man said, gripping the front of my robes. Wait, I had just been wearing boxers. I glanced down and saw I was completely dressed. "Jessica. Thomas. Gus." He said, his burnt fingers gripping my robes.  
  
"I'll look for them." I said, trying to pull away. Wanting to pull away.  
  
"Please." He said then fell down. I wasn't sure if he was dead or unconscious. Well I wasn't going to stick around to find out!  
  
After I threw up again, I began looking for his wife and kids in the house he had indicated. I called their names, having a feeling they wouldn't answer. But surprisingly there was an answer.  
  
"John." Someone said. "Is that you?" I found a woman and felt like throwing up a third time. Her clothes were soaked in blood, and one of her legs was........ gone.  
  
"Mary?" I asked, hesitating.  
  
"That doesn't sound like my John." She whispered.  
  
"I'm........" I knelt down, trying not to throw up or cry or anything. "What happened?"  
  
"They were everywhere." She whispered.  
  
"Who were?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know. Couldn't-couldn't see their faces. Masks. They had masks and black cloaks and used magic." She said.  
  
"Magic?"  
  
"I know it sounds stupid but they did. They shot flames from these pieces of woods."  
  
"Wizards." I said.  
  
"Yes.... they attacked the town. Everywhere, they were everywhere." She was crying now. I glanced up and saw a calendar. It said 'March 1st'. That was this Saturday! I was in the future?  
  
"You'll be okay." I told the woman, Mary. There was no answer. I looked down and saw she was dead. I was in the future. At a Muggle community. Death Eaters must of-er, will attack-um.. Okay. In the time it was now, Death Eaters must of attacked this town which would of been the future where I was then.  
  
It was horrible.  
  
Horrible.  
  
I backed out of the house and looked around, wondering how to get back. I wanted back! I couldn't take this sight! I wanted BACK NOW!  
  
And I was.  
  
I was back in my bed, in my boxers and covered in the cold sweat.  
  
I scrambled out of my bed and clutched at the windowsill, staring out over the grounds. I had just gone into the future or something of the sort. All that horrible stuff happening....... and on MY seventeenth birthday!  
  
I took a long drink of water and knew when it was morning, I'd have to go to Dumbledore.  
  
***  
  
"ROBERT!" Trixie stormed into an office, without even being asked.  
  
"What do you w-oh. Its you." Robert stood up, towering over Trixie. Sirius ran in and stopped at the height and build of this man.  
  
"What are you doing to Peg?" Trixie demanded. Sirius was amazed at her courage to stand up to this man.  
  
"What I do with Peggy is none of your business!" Robert snapped back.  
  
"Peggy is MY niece and I care about her!" Trixie screamed. The two were face-to-face (sort of) separated only by Robert's desk. Sirius wondered what would happen if the desk was removed, then realized he probably wouldn't. What Robert said next, shocked Sirius.  
  
"Well Peggy is MY daughter!"  
  
Sirius raised his eyebrows in shock. THIS was PEGGYS FATHER?!?! He was like a grizzly bear turned human, only more dangerous-looking!!!! Just LOOKING at him made Sirius want to turn into a dog, crawl under something and shiver there for a long time until the man went away.  
  
"Uh-" He started but the two ignored him. They pulled out their wands and Sirius dove to the floor and curses were shot out.  
  
"You have no right interfering!" Robert shouted.  
  
"You have no right treating your daughter like that!" Trixie screamed.  
  
"Aack!" Sirius ducked behind the coat rack as a curse sped past him.  
  
"You deserve to die!" Trixie screamed, scrambling over the desk. Sirius quickly grabbed his fiancé around the waist and lifted her up.  
  
"Nice talking to you, bye!" Sirius said and carried Trixie out.  
  
"Sirius! Let GO of me!" Trixie screamed, kicking about. Sirius waited till they were far from Robert's office.  
  
"You could of been killed, Trix." Sirius said, finally setting her down.  
  
"I don't care. You don't know what he does to Peggy!" Trixie screamed, stamping her foot.  
  
"Trixie. You could of been killed." Sirius repeated.  
  
"I don't CARE!" Trixie screamed, whirling around, her hair brushing against Sirius's face. "Peggy is my only niece. I love her, and will die for her."  
  
"So that guy is her father." Sirius said.  
  
"Duh." Trixie said, folding her arms.  
  
"What does he do to her?" Sirius asked with a frown.  
  
Trixie tucked some of her hair behind an ear and sat down on a bench in the room. "He is so awful to her. I mean sure, there's been a hell of a lot worse but.... Peggy is a wonderful, wonderful girl but do you know what her biggest fear is?"  
  
"Uh, Robert?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yes. Her biggest fear is her FATHER, Sirius. What does that tell you?!" Trixie demanded.  
  
"Okay but maybe going in there ready to fight to the death isn't exactly the best way to do this." Sirius said.  
  
Trixie stood up and frowned. "What is?"  
  
"I don't know. We'll think of something. Maybe we can get Burt to storm his office." Sirius said with a lopsided grin.  
  
"That'd be fun." Trixie giggled.  
  
"Now let's go back to Hogwarts." Sirius kissed Trixie's forehead, and they left.  
  
***  
  
Harry stared at the headline of that day's paper.  
  
'I.W.A. CAPTURES FORTY-NINE DEATH EATERS IN A FORESEEN RAID!!! ALL SENT STRAIGHT TO AZKABAN!'  
  
Azkaban, which had been emptied the previous y-no. It was two years, pretty much. Well in any case, it was emptied. But it was back to running. This time manned by powerful witches or wizards.  
  
"Morning Ron." Harry said as Ron stumbled down the stairs.  
  
"Morning." Ron said yawning.  
  
"Look." Harry showed the article to his sleepy friend.  
  
"Oh, I know." Ron said, waving the paper away from him.  
  
"What do you mean 'I know'." Harry asked.  
  
"Who do you think foresaw it?" Ron asked, blinking at Harry.  
  
"You mean.... you....." Harry watched as Ron slowly nodded.  
  
"Yeah, saw it a few days ago. Told Dumbledore. Now please, I want some breakfast."  
  
Harry just watched as his friend proceeded to gobble down about six helpings of breakfast before seeming truly awake. "You foresaw this Death Eater attack?" He asked again.  
  
"Yeah." Ron said, pouring himself a seventh glass of orange juice. "It was horrible. Ugh."  
  
"And you told Dumbledore?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah. I guess this means he's linked somehow to this 'I.W.A.' business. Hmm." Ron shrugged and then his eyes got wide. "Oh my God!"  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
"It couldn't..... Harry, I think I've been to the I.W.A." Ron whispered.  
  
"What?" Harry asked again.  
  
"A while ago I was kidnapped to be drilled information from, about the Stone. I think I was at the I.W.A."  
  
"Wait, you were kidnapped?!" Harry demanded, confused.  
  
"Yeah, in the middle of the night by some guy named 'Sir' and-"  
  
"Sir?!" Harry nearly shrieked.  
  
"Yeah." Ron said, frowning.  
  
"Oh my God, he came to your house during the summer while you-uh-"  
  
"Was still dead."  
  
"Right. He came looking for the Stone. I didn't give it to him cause Sirius told me not to and-"  
  
"Sirius? Now how would he know about Sir?" Ron asked.  
  
"I don't know. Its really confu-oh my God. What if Sirius is linked to the I.W.A.?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sirius and Dumbledore both?" Ron asked with a frown.  
  
"It could be true, you never know." Harry muttered.  
  
"Why don't you ask him? Sirius, I mean."  
  
"I might. So what happened while you were in the I.W.A.?" Harry asked and Ron told him everything. "And Dumbledore came in?"  
  
"Yeah. Opened the door and it slammed into Sir's nose. The door went into his office. Dumbledore I mean."  
  
"The only door in there is the one that leads out." Harry said, frowning.  
  
"I know. When I looked around his office a moment later, the door was gone. It disappeared." Ron said.  
  
"Whoa. Okay, this is freaky." Harry said, shaking his head. He looked up at the table, at his godfather chatting away happily with Remus.  
  
"Harry, all our years at Hogwarts have been freaky." Ron pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, true." Harry mumbled.  
  
"You know, Dumbledore said I can talk to him anytime I want." Ron said.  
  
"He's told me the same thing. Maybe we should ask him." Harry suggested.  
  
"Yeah. Let's go lat-"  
  
"Can't. Game. We have a game. Remember? If we win, we're going to play Slytherin for the championship." Harry reminded Ron.  
  
"Yeah. But the game doesn't start until later." Ron muttered.  
  
"Who knows how long we'll be talking to him? No, let's wait till tomorrow. By the way, happy birthday."  
  
"Thanks." Ron said with a smile.  
  
"How does it feel to be seventeen?" Harry asked.  
  
"I dunno." Ron said with a laugh. "Haven't really been thinking of it. Most the morning has been my 'before-I-get-enough-food' syndrome. And I can't really remember much when I'm like that."  
  
Harry laughed. "Neither do you make much sense. Then again you don't make much sense anyway. Hey!" Harry yelled as Ron threw a piece of toast at him.  
  
"Hey, what's going on here?" Peggy appeared, yawning and stretching her arms.  
  
"Ron's throwing food at me!" Harry said. Ron stuck his tongue out, then turned to his girlfriend.  
  
"How you doing this morning?" He asked.  
  
"Fine, thank you." Peggy said, giving him a kiss. "I feel perfectly fine. Happy birthday by the way."  
  
"Thanks." Ron said with a bright smile.  
  
"Okay what is a piece of toast doing on the floor?" Jasmine slid into the seat next to Harry. "That is a ruin of perfectly good toasted bread!"  
  
"Ron wasted it, not me." Harry said.  
  
"Hey! You antagonized me!" Ron insisted.  
  
"Did not."  
  
"Did so!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did so!"  
  
"Boys!" Jasmine and Peggy both shouted but they ignored them, and both threw muffins. They both completely missed. Harry's muffin sailed to the Slytherin table and hit a fourth year, and Ron's sailed to Ravenclaw and hit Cho Chang. Harry and Ron grabbed some more food and chucked it at each other.  
  
"FOOD FIGHT!" Sirius and Remus both screamed and at the exact same time dumped their orange juices over each other. Soon the air was thick with flying breakfast foods.  
  
Jasmine picked up a bowl of hot oatmeal and dumped it down the front of Harry's trousers. Harry yelled, and flung syrup at his sister, but she ducked and it hit Seamus instead.  
  
The food fight went on for quite a long time, then Dumbledore announced the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams should go start getting ready. The food fight ended there, while everyone got cleaned up.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
It was time for the Quidditch game to start- and I wasn't there! I was searching for something to wear. Finally I pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, hat and gloves, and started to leave my dorm.  
  
When I opened the door, Robert stood there.  
  
"Hello." He said.  
  
"Hello Robert." I said, feeling sick. He pushed the door all the way open, and slammed it shut behind him. "You know, I was going to a Quidditch game right now." I said, trying to keep my cool.  
  
"I need to talk to you."  
  
"What." I said, folding my arms.  
  
"You sent your wretched aunt to my office, didn't you?" He demanded.  
  
"Aunt Trixie? No." I said.  
  
"Yes you did! She showed up the other day, yelling at me."  
  
"I never sent anyone!" I shouted, stamping my foot. I then screamed (involuntarily of course) as he grabbed my wrist, pulling me close.  
  
"Something is wrong with you."  
  
"Robert, please let go of me." I whispered, trying not to cry.  
  
"There is something different. Something....." Robert suddenly pushed me back. I fell onto my bed and began crying, knowing he knew with one look. "You're pregnant."  
  
I just continued crying a Robert proceeded to scream himself hoarse at me. It was worse then a Howler. "I'm sorry!" I sobbed.  
  
"SORRY DOES NOT CUT IT YOUNG LADY!" He screamed.  
  
"Please!" I begged, covering my ears.  
  
"You're back together with him, aren't you?! AREN'T YOU?!" He screamed after I didn't answer.  
  
"I love him!"  
  
"You WILL break up with him!"  
  
"I WON'T!"  
  
"YOU WILL!"  
  
"I WON'T!'  
  
"Y-" Robert leapt in the air as a gunshot went off. I managed to see, through tear-blurred eyes, Bert standing there with a gun.  
  
"Get behind me, Peggy." He said and I quickly moved behind him.  
  
"You have no right to interfere." Robert snapped, fumbling for his wand.  
  
"Don't. Even. Try." Bert said, aiming the gun.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Robert demanded.  
  
"I asked him." I blinked as Aunt Trixie and Sirius appeared. Trixie had a look of pure anger on her face. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. But what did, shocked me.  
  
Loud screams came from the Quidditch field.  
  
***  
  
Aunt Trixie, Sirius, Bert and I ran out to the Quidditch field. I stared in horror at the scene in front of me. Ron was laying on the ground, dead.  
  
I screamed and ran over to him. "NO!" I screamed, flinging myself at his body. "NO! HE CAN'T BE!"  
  
"Peggy!" I felt a hand on my shoulder. I pushed it away.  
  
"Nonononononononononononononono! Leave me alone!"  
  
Someone pulled me off and gripped me tightly. "He's not dead, Peggy." Harry said firmly. He had pulled me off and was gripping my arms.  
  
"He's not?" I asked, staring at him. "He looks dead."  
  
"He didn't fall THAT far, he's just unconscious." Harry assured me.  
  
I blinked back tears as Pomfrey appeared and took him away. "What happened?!" I demanded.  
  
"I don't know. He just.... fell." Harry said as we walked to the castle.  
  
"What about the game?" I asked.  
  
"It's postponed until next week." Harry explained. We got to the hospital wing, and sat by his bed. I stared into his face, wondering what happened.  
  
Soon Jasmine, Hermione, Luna, Lupus, and Ginny ran in. "Is he okay?" Ginny asked, clutching Lupus's hand.  
  
"He'll be fine." Pomfrey assured us.  
  
After a while, the others left, leaving me alone with him. I held his hand, kissing the back of it and staring down into his pale face. "What happened, sweetie?" I asked.  
  
After a while, I fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, who should I see but Robert. "What do YOU want?" I demanded, rubbing my eyes and sitting up straight.  
  
Robert sneered at Ron's body. "What is so special about HIM you are willing to give it all up?" He demanded as he leaned against the wall.  
  
"I am not giving anything up, Robert." I said. I was too mad to be terribly afraid.  
  
"You seem like you are going to."  
  
"Why do you hate me so much?!" I demanded.  
  
"Peggy, I don't hate you." He said, straightening up. "I love you."  
  
"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it." I snapped. I was too angry to realize that was the first time he had ever in my ENTIRE life said that.  
  
"I am concerned."  
  
"Yeah right, like I'll believe THAT?!" I demanded, I was getting so angry, I wanted to hurt him. And I tried to. I flung myself at him, fists flying. He caught me by the wrists and I began crying.  
  
"Peggy, you're my daughter. I am just worried."  
  
"About what?!" I demanded angrily.  
  
"Peggy, you deserve something more then him. He is a regular wizard. You're not a regular witch."  
  
"Well so?! Cinderella was a servant, and look how she ended up." I said bitterly.  
  
"That is a fairy tale. This is real life. Things do not end up as 'happily ever after'. If you just give it up for him, a REGULAR wizard, you'll end up really sad, wishing you never left."  
  
"He is not regular. He got thirteen O.W.Ls." I said, staring down into Ron's face.  
  
"Whoop-dee-doo. You think thirteen is enough? Peggy, you know Jack?"  
  
"That jerk? Yeah, so?" I asked.  
  
"He is a nice wizard. He is very smart, and very strong."  
  
"Oh, you are saying I should marry HIM?! Dad, he-" I stopped and closed my eyes. "I mean Robert, whenever we were around each other, all he did was hit on me. He is the only guy I know who can eat, drink, write things down and still have two hands left to touch me." I snapped.  
  
"He likes you-"  
  
"He likes sex."  
  
"Well apparently so does this wizard if he knocked you up!" Robert snapped.  
  
"How DARE you speak about Ron like that!" I shouted, trying to pull myself free.  
  
"Peggy! I don't want you to wind up a miserable, poor divorcee with dozens of children." He said. I finally managed to wrench myself loose.  
  
"If you say one more word about Ron like that I swear I will hurt you."  
  
"You are very brave, Peggy." He said, pulling his wand out. "But bravery alone cannot help."  
  
"Go ahead, curse me. Kill me for all I care." I said, folding my arms. "But Ron will want revenge. And so will Aunt Trixie. Sirius loves her, and will fight with her. Emerin, Remus, Ivana and Bert are very loyal friends and will fight as well."  
  
Robert narrowed his eyes, and glanced at Ron. He fingered his wand and glanced back at me. "You're willing to die for this pathetic excuse for a wizard."  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
"Is he willing to die for you?" He asked, eyes narrowed even more.  
  
"I-" I bit my bottom lip. "Don't know."  
  
"Why don't we revive him and find out?" He asked, and pointed his wand.  
  
"Don't!" I grabbed his wrist and the spell bounced off the polished food tray by another bed. It struck me, and I was thrown backwards. I slid along the floor until I hit the wall. "Ohhhhh." I groaned, rubbing my back. Great, just what I needed. More pain.  
  
I slowly stood up, glaring fiercely at Robert. "You ought not of done that." He said.  
  
I stormed over and pulled my wand out, aiming it straight into his face. "You know perfectly well I know a good many curses." I said.  
  
"And I know even more." He said, wand aimed at me.  
  
"Then I guess this is it idn it?" I asked, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Peggy." He said, taking a step forward.  
  
"Go on, kill me. Go ahead. See what happens when they find out a father kills his pregnant daughter in the hospital of a school."  
  
Robert clenched his teeth and used a weight spell to slam against my wrist. I dropped my wand, clutching my wrist which was most likely broken now. "Peggy, decide now. Give it all up, or give him up?" He asked.  
  
"Don't do that to me." I said, shaking with anger and fear.  
  
"What is it going to be, Peggy?"  
  
"Don't." I whispered.  
  
"Make the decision."  
  
"I don't have to." I said, grabbing my wand with my right hand. "You know the rule."  
  
"What rule?" He asked.  
  
"The same rule you had to go for when you met my mother." I said, hoping Robert wouldn't force Ron to make this decision.  
  
"You-the-I-you-FINE. I will speak to someone right away." Robert smirked and left the hospital.  
  
I blinked back tears, and turned to look at Ron. I couldn't make him make a decision like this. I smoothed back his hair, kissed his cheek and decided I wouldn't do this to him. I sat back down and sighed. No, I just wouldn't tell him about this. I wouldn't make him make the decision.  
  
I couldn't............ 


	19. Attack, Animagus, and Apple Pie

CHAPTER NINETEEN- Attack, Animagus, and Apple Pie (Harry's point of view)  
  
By Monday morning at breakfast, Ron was awake. I asked him what had happened, and he looked at me. He was extremely pale, and shaking slightly. "Nothing."  
  
"What do you mean 'nothing'?!" I demanded. "You just fell. What happened?"  
  
"I just saw a vision." He said quietly.  
  
"Oh, a vision." I replied. We were both silent a few moments. "Well?"  
  
"Well what?" He asked.  
  
"What was the vision?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing." He said quickly. A little too quickly if you ask me.  
  
"Okay, what did you see." I said.  
  
"Nothing, Harry. Nothing." He promised.  
  
I snorted. "Yeah right."  
  
"Well, its not important." He said, staring into his breakfast.  
  
"Then you can tell me." I said and he chewed at his bottom lip.  
  
"I just saw some stuff that's gonna...."  
  
"Gonna?" I asked. "Gonna what?"  
  
"Er, nothing."  
  
"Tell me!" I demanded.  
  
"It does involve you." He said  
  
"Well?!" I demanded.  
  
"That's all I can-er-should-er-that's all you can know." He said.  
  
"Did you see someone die?"  
  
"No! No, of course not. No." Ron said, his ears turning red.  
  
"Who died? Er, dies?" I asked.  
  
"It's not going to happen for a while." He said, clenching his fork.  
  
"Tell me!" I demanded.  
  
Ron just glared at me. "Drop it."  
  
"Drop what?" Jasmine sat down with us.  
  
"Ron won't tell me something." I complained bitterly.  
  
"Oh honestly, you guys fight like brothers." Jasmine said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Ron, tell me." I said.  
  
Ron pushed his breakfast away from him. "I forgot my things in my dorm." He left the hall, shuffling along.  
  
"What happened?" Jasmine asked.  
  
I sighed. "He fell from his broom because he saw a vision. In the vision, he saw someone die and won't tell me who."  
  
"Oh." Jasmine said quietly. "Maybe you're better off not knowing."  
  
"It can be prevented though. Whoever dies can have the Stone with them and we can bring them back." I said.  
  
"But that is misusing it."  
  
"Jasmine, if it's someone I know and/or love then-"  
  
"I think the Stone should be destroyed." Jasmine said quietly.  
  
"What?!" I demanded.  
  
"Harry," She said, looking at me. "what if the Stone falls in the wrong hands?"  
  
"I won't let it." I said sharply.  
  
"You don't know that." She said softly, resting her hand on my shoulder.  
  
"What if its YOU that dies? Or Ron again? Or Hermione? Or Luna? I don't want any of you guys gone." I said, gripping her hand. "We haven't even been real brother/sister for two years yet. I am not going to allow you to be gone." I said.  
  
She smiled. "Thanks, Harry. But you know, death is but the next great adventure." She said.  
  
I frowned. "That's what Dumbledore told me once."  
  
"Is it?" Jasmine asked with a smile. I sighed and leaned against the table.  
  
"I don't want you gone, Jasmine. Nor do I want Hermione, Luna and especially Ron. I've already lost my best friend once." I said.  
  
"I know, Harry. But no one can escape death. They can't even cheat it. The Stone-sure it brings you back but for how long? You'll just die again. And someday, you might not have someone to perform the ritual." She said.  
  
I sighed. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we should destroy the-"  
  
"What is it?" She asked as I stopped.  
  
"I don't know where the Stone is!" I said.  
  
"Who had it last?" She asked.  
  
"Let's see. We brought Ron back.... we took him into the living room.... we wanted to know if-oh yes! Remus ran out and retrieved the book and Stone."  
  
"Remus has it?" She asked.  
  
"I think so, yes." I said, glancing at the teacher's table. "I'll ask him at lunch."  
  
"All right." She said. She glanced over at the Slytherin table and smiled.  
  
"I just wish you and Malfoy would break up."  
  
"Give me one good reason other then you hate him." She said.  
  
"Uh." I blinked and smiled. "Jasmine Malfoy sounds dreadful."  
  
"It sounds better then Jasmine Potter." She snapped. I scowled and folded my arms angrily.  
  
***  
  
"Remus." I said as he started to head into the Great Hall.  
  
"Harry." He replied.  
  
"I need to talk to you. Alone." So we went to his office. "You still have the Stone?" I asked.  
  
"Yes." He said.  
  
"'Cause Jasmine and I decided it should be destroyed." I said.  
  
Remus raised his eyebrows. "Hmm, that's a very mature decision."  
  
"Jasmine convinced me." I said quietly.  
  
"Yes, I expect she did. I'll go get it tonight. It's in my room." He said.  
  
"Okay, good." I replied with a relieved sigh. After tonight the Stone would be destroyed and we wouldn't have to worry about Voldemort getting it.  
  
***  
  
The cloaked figure ransacked the room, searching for the Stone. "Master wants it, and put the job in my hands so I WILL get it!" She told herself. It was very easy to sneak in. After all, the idiot left his window open and she just had to fly right in.  
  
"Where is it?!" She demanded, flinging the mattress over. Where would he hide it? There was plenty of places, since it was so small. And she had to get it ASAP since Potter was going to destroy it that night. The woman pulled her wand out and began waving it about going "Accio!"  
  
Finally, she heard a thump. In his desk. She found the secret compartment and inside was the Stone. The woman smiled and picked it up. So small, so trivial, yet so powerful.  
  
She pocketed it, and turned into her Animagus form and flew out the window and towards the Forbidden Forest. She landed on the ground and turned back human. "Did you get it?" Another Death Eater asked.  
  
"Of course I did." The woman held the Stone up. It glittered in the sunlight that filtered through the leaves.  
  
"Wow, its so.. . small." The male Death Eater said.  
  
"I know, so trivial." The female said.  
  
"Here, I'll hang on to it." The male held his hand out.  
  
"Uh, no. I'm the one who risked my life." The female snapped.  
  
"I'm higher then you. Give it to me." The male said. The woman put it down her cleavage.  
  
"No."  
  
"Give it to me!" The man pounced and the woman dodged.  
  
"Go away!" The woman shouted, fumbling for her wand. The man seized her wrist and she kicked him in the shin, making sure to dig her pump heel in him.  
  
The man grabbed her ankle and pulled. She fell to the ground and moaned in pain. The man put his hand down the front of her robes and grabbed the Stone. "Adios, bitch." The man pointed his wand and in a flash of green light, the woman was dead.  
  
***  
  
Professor Lamia watched as the kids tried turning into their animals. All of them had opted to do the personality form. It meant that the animal they turned into, reflected their personality. He didn't expect ANY of the students to even appear to even START showing themselves transforming until their seventh year. But he stared in shock as one of the students got white fur along his face.  
  
"ZTOP!" Lamia screamed. Everyone froze. Lamia rushed over to the student.  
  
"What happened?" He asked nervously.  
  
"You have fur!" Lamia said, touching the white fur.  
  
"I do?!" He asked in shock.  
  
"Keep trying." Lamia insisted. The kid bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes. Nothing happened. "Vhat are you doing divverently?"  
  
"Uh, I'm mostly concentrating on becoming an animal."  
  
"And you veren't lazt time??"  
  
"Not entirely." The student admitted.  
  
"Well zink ov EXACTLY vhat you vere." Lamia said. The student closed his eyes. The white fur spread along his entire body and the next moment- he was an animal.  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
Something was different. VERY different. Everything looked bigger and different. I felt so small and scared. Professor Lamia bent down to look at me. "Look at vhat haz happened clazz! Zis ztudent haz become an animal!"  
  
I was an animal?! I looked around the room. Everyone was looking at me. Peggy walked over and picked me up. "Oh Ron! Oh you're so adorable!" She said, kissing the top of my head. So I was a small animal. I wondered how to do the thought-speak and stared into Peggy's eyes.  
  
"Take him over to the mirror." Harry said so Peggy took me over to the mirror. I stared in the mirror in surprise. Peggy stood there with a white rabbit in her arms. No, not entirely white. There was flaming red fur between the ears.  
  
"Whoa!" I said. I knew no one heard me. Peggy put me down and I hopped over to the mirror, my little nose running faster then anything I had ever seen before. Why had I turned into a rabbit? Okay, I was going for the personality animal cause it was easier but my animal-personality was a RABBIT?! How could I be like a ra-oh shit.  
  
Okay, so I WAS thinking of THAT with Peg. But that wasn't my entire personality! I was not a hormonal sex-oriented guy! Okay so I was with Peggy, and that was what I was thinking of but it WASN'T MY ENTIRE PERSONALITY! I tried stomping about, but only succeeded in hopping around looking crazy. "I think Ron's mad he turned into a rabbit." Dean laughed.  
  
Peggy picked me up. Maybe that was a bad idea after all, in her arms I was right there with her-er, but that's not the point!!  
  
I then realized I didn't know how to turn back to human. I closed my eyes and thought of my human self. A few minutes later, I was human and on top of Peggy who had fallen. "Geroff of me!" She snapped. I scrambled to my feet, hoping no one would see how red I was. "Sorry." I whispered. I felt totally embarrassed. Not only was I a freaking RABBIT but- ugh, I hoped no one would ever find out WHY I was a rabbit. Oh great, now I could turn into a rabbit and not something COOL.  
  
"Vhy did you turn into a vabbit?" Professor Lamia asked.  
  
I went, if possibly, redder. "I don't know."  
  
"Vere you thinking ov anything particular?" He asked.  
  
Once again I went even REDDER. "No."  
  
"You zaid you vere thinking of zomething. Vhat vere you thinking ov?" He asked.  
  
I was wringing my hands, and glancing at Peggy. Oh man I'd hate to think what would happen if she found out! "I uh can't remember."  
  
Lamia raised his eyebrows. "Iz that zo?"  
  
"Uh, yes." I said, gulping.  
  
"Vell." He turned to the rest of the class. "Clazz dizmizzed." Everyone started to leave but Lamia grabbed my shoulder. "Not you."  
  
After everyone left, Lamia pointed to a seat. I sighed and sat down. "Listen, I couldn't help but thinking of it! My girlfriends been on my mind so much and the reason I didn't want to mention it is cause it's so embarrassing and-"  
  
"No, no, no. I didn't vant to talk about that." He said, and sat down on his desk. "I have never met anybody who could turn into an Animaguz zo quickly." He said.  
  
"Oh." I said quietly and got even redder. Oh great now I had just told him why I turned into a rabbit!  
  
"You are ze vone who got thirteen O.W.Lz, vight?"  
  
"Vight. I mean right."  
  
"Iz there anything zpecial about you?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know." I said and began to wonder if me being dead and returned to life had to do with me becoming an Animagus so soon.  
  
"Vell, you can go." He said. I nodded and left. I went down the stairs when Peggy appeared.  
  
"I-" I began but she smacked me reallllly hard. I stumbled back into the wall. 'What on earth is that for?!"  
  
"I just realized WHY you turned into a rabbit!" She snapped angrily.  
  
Shit. "I'm sorry!" I said.  
  
"It is COMPLETELY humiliating! Let's just hope no one finds the reason you turned into a rabbit."  
  
"I said I'm sorry! I can't help it! You drive me crazy!" I insisted. She folded her arms and glared at me. "I'm sorry!" I repeated.  
  
She sighed and shook her head. "Well it's too late now. I'm going to Pomfrey's for a check-up, you coming?"  
  
"I dunno. Will you let me?" I asked.  
  
"Of course. Besides, you make such an adorable little rabbit with that flaming red fur." She said with a smile. I grinned back, glad she wasn't extremely angry.  
  
***  
  
Jared Ice walked down the streets of Hogsmeade. He was an extremely handsome, strong wizard and had the most knee-wobbling smile you would ever see. A lot of the witches he past sighed happily at him. He had just moved to Hogsmeade barely a week ago, and was already one of the most known wizards there. All the girls insisted he was ten times more handsome then Gildaroy Lockhart.  
  
Jared walked into the Three Broomsticks and flashed his smile at Rosmerta. "A Butterbeer please." He said.  
  
"Coming right up Mr. Ice." Rosmerta giggled and handed him a mug. He kissed the back of her hand, and went to sit in a corner. Soon six people came in. Three witches and three wizards. The three witches were very pretty but Jared knew one was married, one engaged and the third-well, she was free.  
  
Jared got up and walked over. "Hello." He said.  
  
"Hi." The six replied.  
  
Jared turned to the smallest witch and smiled. "I couldn't help notice you."  
  
"A lot of people say that." One of the wizards, Sirius Black, said.  
  
The witch Jared talked to smacked Sirius upside the head, and then smiled at Jared. "Thank you."  
  
"Jared Ice." He said, shaking her hand.  
  
"Emerin Elm." She replied. Jared, ofcourse, already knew her name but didn't let her know this.  
  
"It is something so indescribable to meet someone as lovely as you." Jared said, flashing his smile. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
"I don't mind." Emerin said and pushed the wizard next to her out of his seat. Literally. He landed on the floor.  
  
"Ouch, Emerin!" Bert Sallis snapped. Jared knew better then to make him angry. After all, Bert was the one who had an obsession over guns. And more often then not had more then one with him.  
  
"No, no, no. If there is not enough seats then forget it. I don't want to kick any of you out." He said, helping Bert up.  
  
"There's enough seats." Emerin got another chair. Jared flashed her his smile and sat down. Perfect.  
  
***  
  
"Oh my God guys look at this!" Harry shouted at breakfast, Friday March 21st.  
  
"What?" Everyone asked.  
  
"Listen!" Harry cleared his throat. "The other day, I.W.A. officials found the dead body of a Death Eater in the Forbidden Forest around Hogsmeade. The Death Eater, killed by the death curse, was identified as one Rita Skeeter!"  
  
"Oh my God!" Ron and Hermione said.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"Rita was one of the most annoying reporters on earth. She always wrote all these horrible lies." Harry said.  
  
"Once she made me sound like some sort of-some sort of-"  
  
"Scarlet woman." Ron piped up and Hermione scowled.  
  
"I found out she was an unregistered Animagus and made her keep her quill to herself for a year. I guess she went to You-Know-Who's side."  
  
"Harry, Jasmine, I need to talk to you." Remus appeared looking worried.  
  
"Okay." The brother and sister followed Remus into the hall.  
  
"I looked everywhere for the Stone but its gone."  
  
"What?!" They demanded.  
  
"At first I thought I misplaced it but its GONE!"  
  
"Someone took the Stone, oh great." Jasmine moaned.  
  
"Bet you it was a Death Eat-" Harry suddenly remembered the newspaper article. "Wait, what if Rita took the Stone, and had a fight with another Death Eater who killed her?" He asked.  
  
"Makes sense." Remus said.  
  
"Now we just need to find whoever has the Stone even though by now Voldemort probably has it." Harry said with a heavy sigh.  
  
Narrator: Little did Harry and his friends know that the Stone was NOT in Voldemort's clutches but the pocket of one Jared Ice! And yes I am the narrator even though this is the only time I appear in this story!  
  
Jared Ice sipped his Butterbeer, watching Emerin talk. He had asked her on a date for that Friday night and she accepted. "You are so pretty." He said.  
  
"Thank you." Emerin replied. Later that night they were in his home, on the couch snogging. "I have never met such a wonderful man like you!" Emerin said.  
  
"I've never met such a wonderful woman like you." Jared replied, stroking her hair. That was a lie ofcourse. He was doing this just so he could get to the Potter child. Oh, he could easily waltz into Hogwarts and-okay so that wouldn't be easy. But there was other ways of getting the Potter kid. But this way, Jared might get one of three things. 1) he might convince Emerin to become a Death Eater or 2) he'd make a stupid goody-two-shoe witch completely miserable when he was through, or 3) he might get some action.  
  
Jared smiled and kissed Emerin's cheek. Oh she was like putty in his hands. "I had seen you in the Three Broomsticks a few times, I never got enough nerve to ask you out." He said.  
  
"I'm glad you did." Emerin said gently.  
  
"So am I." Jared whispered.  
  
"Er, if you don't mind.... where's the loo?"  
  
"Down the hall. Turn left, third door." Jared kissed her cheek as she left. He sighed as he rested back against his couch. This was going to be quick and easy.  
  
Speaking of quick.... Jared checked his watch as quite a few minutes past and no sign of Emerin. Where was that weird little spinster?  
  
"So sorry." Emerin appeared with a broad smile on her face. "But your bathroom was so nice, it took a few minutes to take in the atmosphere."  
  
"I suppose it did." Jared said and patted the couch next to him. Emerin slipped next to him and kissed him gently on the lips.  
  
"I'll have to go in about an hour."  
  
"Then let's make the best of our time together." Jared whispered, wrapping his arms around the tiny woman and kissing her.  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
Dearest Hermione,  
  
I cannot wait to see you this summer. I am counting down the days until we can be together again. I do not have much time to write, for I have Quidditch practice and need to go there in a minute. We have a game against Canada coming up in 14 days now and coach is driving us pretty hard. According to him we shouldn't have any time for ourselves. And ofcourse now that I am out of school, I'm driven the hardest. Well, reply back my love.  
  
Love,  
  
Viktor  
  
I smiled and reread the letter a few times before writing a reply back. I sent it off with Viktor's owl, then headed to the library. I spread my things along the table and began studying. It was an incredibly warm day for early April, and so almost the entire school was outside. But I was a Prefect and needed to keep up my perfect grades.  
  
"Hermione." I glanced up as Ginny appeared.  
  
"Hey." I said.  
  
"I have a question." She said nervously.  
  
"Okay." I said, putting my quill down.  
  
"Listen, I have a slight problem."  
  
"With school?"  
  
"No with..... well see there's this guy I really like but the problem is he's younger then me." Ginny said.  
  
"So?" I asked.  
  
"Well I know 'so' but its just.. .. do you think it would work?" She asked, chewing her bottom lip.  
  
"How much younger is he then you?" I asked, having a feeling it was Lupus.  
  
"Just a year but still." Ginny said, messing with her thick flaming red braid.  
  
"If you like Lu-uh, if you like him then age doesn't matter." I said with a smile.  
  
"Well I figured that, that's why I asked you."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Well you're dating Viktor, he's four years older then you."  
  
"Well my father is six years older then my mother." I said.  
  
"So you think that him being a year younger then me doesn't matter?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. Thanks, Hermione. He asked me to be his girlfriend but I told him I needed to think about it." Ginny smiled and left.  
  
I picked my quill back up and turned back to my History homework. But I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't help but feel as if something bad was coming up. Ofcourse that could easily be from my past years at Hogwarts. Something usually did happen, always bad but sometimes good. For instance Harry discovering his godfather and stuff like that. But the bad easily outdid the good.  
  
I sighed and leaned against the table, feeling rather drowsy. Maybe I was studying too hard. But I did want to keep up my good grades and we were nearly out of Hogwarts. After this only one more year. I sighed again and stared down at my homework. It would be quite sad, our seventh year. Our last year together as students. But we were best friends and would keep up with each other afterwards, wouldn't we? But that is what I promised my old Muggle friends from my old school, before I went to Hogwarts. They thought I just went to an ordinary boarding school. I promised I'd still be friends with them, yet I hadn't talked to any of them for a couple years now.  
  
But these guys were different. Harry, Ron, Jasmine-they were all WAY different then my Muggle friends. And I didn't mean simply because they were magic. I was so much closer to these guys, especially Harry. I really did not want to lose them. I already lost Ron once and if I felt that horrible about losing HIM, I couldn't even fathom how I'd feel if something happened to Harry.  
  
Of course Harry wasn't exactly Mr. Safety. He put his life in danger too many times to count. But I knew he didn't care. What he cared about was everyone else. He always put other people in front of him. I knew he wasn't perfect or anything, just incredibly brave and good and just. And even though he wasn't a saint, he's as close to one then anyone I ever knew.  
  
I was a bit jealous of Luna. But I knew it was because Harry was spending a lot of his time with her. I didn't love Harry or anything. Well I loved him but not in that way.  
  
I sighed a third time. That was the biggest problem about dating Viktor. We couldn't spend so much time together. Harry and Luna, Ron and Peggy, Jasmine and Malfoy. They were always together. Heck, even Sirius was spending more time with Trixie then he was with Remus and Bert. But I loved Viktor. He was so perfect, at least to me.  
  
I sighed once more, and went back to doing my homework.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"Harry, I need to talk to you." I whispered. It was the Saturday morning after we discovered the Stone was gone.  
  
"What is it?" He asked after we found an empty classroom.  
  
"I'm really worried about Draco."  
  
"So?" Harry asked.  
  
"Harry." I warned.  
  
"Well what can I say? I hate him."  
  
"Harry, he's acting weird."  
  
"It's Draco Malfoy-he IS weird."  
  
"Harry!" I snapped, stamping my foot. "He is my boyfriend and I LOVE him."  
  
"Yech."  
  
"Harry, PLEASE!"  
  
"Okay so what is so unusual about Malfoy besides the obvious?"  
  
"HARRY!"  
  
"I was asking a civilized question!"  
  
"No you weren't now be serious!"  
  
"I'm Harry."  
  
"ARGH!"  
  
"Okay! Sorry! What's wrong with you vampiric boyfriend?"  
  
I scowled but knew this was as nice about Draco as Harry would get. "He's pale-"  
  
"How can you tell?"  
  
"Let me finish!" I griped. "He's tired, pale, and kind of twitchy like. He doesn't spend as much time with me anymore. He seems thin, not in the physical sense but like.... like too much butter spread on a piece of bread."  
  
"Well what do you want me to do? Get rid of his crust?"  
  
"HARRY!!!" I screamed angrily.  
  
"What?!" He demanded, scowling. "He is your boyfriend, not mine. I don't know what's wrong with him."  
  
"I want you to find out."  
  
"WHAT?! Malfoy hates me! He'd never tell me!"  
  
"Yes he would. Just say that you know I am worried about him, and that you want to know if anything is wrong with him on my behalf."  
  
"But that'd be a lie."  
  
"No it won't, will it?" I hissed.  
  
"Awwwwww MAN!" He yelled, kicking the desk. "Sometimes I wish I didn't have a sister." He groaned, shaking his head.  
  
I smiled and hugged him. "Thanks, bro."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He pushed me off, scowling ferociously. He left the room grumbling angrily to himself. I grinned, and headed outside to (hopefully) enjoy the sunshine.  
  
When I got outside, I found Ron and Peggy. Peggy was sitting with her back to a tree trunk, and Ron was laying on his back on the ground with his head in Peggy's lap. She was reading while running her fingers through Ron's hair, and Ron seemed asleep. Peggy glanced up and smiled at me. "Hi Jasmine."  
  
"Hey Peggy. Is he asleep?"  
  
"Yeah, dropped off about ten minutes ago." Peggy said as I sat down by her.  
  
"Whatcha reading?" I asked.  
  
" 'Outcast Of Redwall'." She said, holding the book up for me to see.  
  
"It's odd isn't it." I asked, glancing up as the pale blue sky.  
  
"What, the book?"  
  
"No, life at Hogwarts. At least for my brother, Ron and Hermione."  
  
"It seems like it." Peggy said, blowing a strand of hair from her face.  
  
"What do you think is going to happen?" I asked, staring into her face.  
  
"When?'  
  
"Anytime."  
  
"I don't know. Besides, you need to be more specific then that."  
  
"Before the end of this school year." I said with an unhappy sigh.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Voldemort has the Stone."  
  
"What?!" Peggy looked at me, eyes wide with fear.  
  
"Harry, Remus and I suspect that Rita-the Death Eater that was killed-stole it, and got into a fight with another Death Eater. He or she killed Rita so he or she could take the Stone to Voldemort and get all the praise."  
  
"It's a possibility." She said quietly. "You don't seemed too terribly worried."  
  
"Well first off what you said was just a GUESS. And in any case, The I.W.A. has been becoming more and more publicly involved." Peggy said, blowing another strand of hair from her face. "And if legend has it right, they are extremely powerful."  
  
"True." I said, recalling the tiny bit about the I.W.A. I read in books. "But I'm also worried about other things."  
  
"Harry will be fine."  
  
"Yeah I-how did you know I was worried about Harry?"  
  
"I think we're all worried about Harry." Peggy admitted with a slight shrug.  
  
"But that is understandable. I don't know if you know, but it seems every year for these guys something happens and Harry nearly dies."  
  
"But he's always saved. Unless your brother is a ghost."  
  
"Hey, don't knock ghosts. They can be very valuable." I said, thinking of Jason when he informed me that Azkaban was emptied. In fact at that moment I spotted quite a few dead things. There were five ghost trees sitting near us. There would probably be more then that but 1. dead plants could just.... disappear if they want, simply not be anymore and 2. dead plants could also move. Anyway, there was a lot of ghost rats and other small animals scurrying about. A few ghost birds fluttering and twittering. And too many ghost flowers to count. But I also spotted a few human ghosts. I only knew one of them. His name was Jonathan Windva, and he was a gamekeeper before the gamekeeper before Hagrid.  
  
"Someone always tells me that bravery alone cannot save you. But I think it can in Harry's case." Peggy said.  
  
"How so?" I asked.  
  
"Harry is the only guy I know, who is brave enough to run away."  
  
"A lot of people at my old school call that cowardly."  
  
"Okay so Harry's fighting Voldemort," Peggy said, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Ron told me about their fourth year so I know this is true. Anyway, Harry and Voldemort are fighting. Harry was in a lot of pain, right?"  
  
"Yeah, he told me." I said quietly, wondering what Peggy was talking about.  
  
"A lot of people I know would try A) worm their way out it, B) beg to be freed or C) just let Voldemort kill them. But Harry-"  
  
"He ran off."  
  
"To fight another day."  
  
"Maybe you're right."  
  
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Maybe Harry is just a complete coward."  
  
"But then why would he be put in Gryffindor?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
I smiled at Peggy. "I should talk to you more often."  
  
"Thanks." Peggy replied.  
  
"Well, I'm going to see if I can find Harry or Draco. Bye."  
  
"Bye." I got up and headed to the castle, feeling a lot better.  
  
***  
  
Peggy sighed as she rested on the couch. She kept sighing over and over. "What's wrong?" Ron asked from where he studied (forced by Peggy).  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
"You just ate."  
  
"I'm craving something."  
  
"What are you craving?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know?"  
  
"If you are craving something then you should know what."  
  
Peggy sighed and folded her hands together over her tummy. She could feel it getting a bit bigger. Not much, she was only about fourteen weeks in. "I'm hungry."  
  
"You said that."  
  
"I'm craving something."  
  
"If you tell me what, I'll go to the kitchens and get it for you."  
  
"I don't know what I'm craving."  
  
"Then stop complaining."  
  
"Ron, you're supposed to be understanding!"  
  
"I'm trying but you're-never mind."  
  
"I'm what?!" Peggy demanded, sitting up.  
  
"I said never mind." Ron said, bent over his homework.  
  
"Tell me." Peggy growled.  
  
"Just forget it."  
  
"No."  
  
"Peggy."  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"You're being very annoying, okay? Annoying and whiny!!"  
  
"Annoying?!" Peggy demanded, leaping to her feet. "ANNOYING?! WHINY?!!?!?"  
  
Ron slammed his quill down and stood to his feet. "Yes!" He screamed.  
  
"Why you little-fine! If you feel that way I'll go and leave you alone!!" Peggy stormed up to her dorm. Ron swore under his breath and followed her. He found her on her bed, arms folded and teeth clenched.  
  
"Peggy, I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm sure you are." She growled.  
  
"I've been stressed!!" He insisted.  
  
Peggy snorted. "Try being pregnant."  
  
"Peg, luv.. ." Ron sat next to her on her bed and put his arm around her. "I am so sorry. I haven't been too understanding of you. I have been focused on myself."  
  
"You're just saying that." Peggy grumbled.  
  
"Peggy! I'm sorry!" Ron said, rubbing her back.  
  
Peggy sniffled and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, too. Its my hormones. They're all.. . weird."  
  
"Yeah." Ron kissed the side of her head. "So you forgive me?"  
  
"Yes if you go to the kitchens. I figured out what I'm craving."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Peggy smiled. "Apple pie." 


	20. The Room

Author's Note: Thanks Alexial and Jodi for reviewing, and Jodi what do you mean by "who is it". Who is who? Anyway, this chapter doesn't have a LOT to do with the plot. It's just an idea I had and I really wanted to write it out so... anyway, enjoy!  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY- The Room (Draco's point of view)  
  
I scowled at the scowling face scowling at me. "None of your business, Potter."  
  
"Jasmine asked me to find out what was wrong. I don't know WHY but she did so tell me. Does this have anything to do when you tried to kill-"  
  
"I said it's none of your business!" I snapped angrily. That idiot had followed me for the better part of an hour before I demanded to know why.  
  
"It's Jasmine's business, she's worried. Can't imagine why." Potter said, folding his arms.  
  
"Leave me alone, Potter." I sneered.  
  
"Jasmine is-"  
  
"Worried, duh, you told me. Just tell her I'm fine and if she is still worried then she needs to talk to me face-to-face and not send her" I stopped short before calling Potter a nasty name. "brother."  
  
"Fine." Potter turned and left. I made my way down to the secret room I had found a while ago. It was a nice quiet place for me to mull things over.  
  
It was a large domed room filled with plants. The floor was actually grass, and the top was glass to let sunshine in. It was quiet, relaxing and nice. No one knew about it, and I planned for it to stay that way. I went to my favorite spot and sat down. I knew I should tell Jasmine what was worrying me, but I couldn't bring myself to it. I knew I should tell someone, ANYONE!... but I couldn't.  
  
I sighed and leaned against the tree, closing my eyes. My life was so fucking horrible. The only good thing in it was Jasmine. I knew that should be enough, but somehow it wasn't. A piece of me wanted to go back to the power, popularity, and money. I knew I could. All I would have to do was give up Jasmine. But I couldn't do that, I loved her.  
  
But that little piece of me kept nagging.  
  
That idiot Potter was right, this did sort of have to do when I tried committing suicide. I was still contemplating it. My problems would be over and hey-I could still talk to Jasmine, she'd be able to see and hear me.  
  
But not touch. We would no longer be able to be in each other's arms, or rest against each other, or snog. I opened my eyes and stared at the pale blue sky, streaked with thin white clouds. That's how I felt. Thin, spread about. Almost like a ghost.  
  
And those nightmares I had been having, ugh.  
  
It was because of the planned attack. I had to tell someone but couldn't bring myself to it!! That piece of me that wanted to go back prevented me from telling someone that-that.......  
  
I sighed and turned down to a frizz. A fuzzy plant that looked a bit like an animal. Maybe if I told it, it would help some. "Voldemort is planning an attack. A big attack. He is getting all his Death Eaters and followers as strong as possible, and is going to attack London."  
  
***  
  
By the time I left the secret room I had told every single plant in there. I was going mad, I knew it. Talking to plants but I didn't care. I was mad, insane, crazy. I was going completely crackers.  
  
I went through the secret passage that led to the room, and out into the corridors of Hogwarts. Students past me, busy with their own happy carefree lives. The only ones who knew what I knew was most the Slytherins.  
  
It happened by chance I found out what was going to happen. I had forgotten something in the Slytherin common room and, thinking everyone was asleep, snuck down to get it. There was a meeting of all the kids of Death Eaters which was about three-fifths the house. I had overheard.  
  
That's when it all started, ofcourse. I got worried but didn't let it show. But the nightmares I had-imagining it all. I had seen enough deaths to last me the rest of my life anyway, I didn't need this. At first I was going to tell Jasmine. That's when the voice came.  
  
'Go back, Draco. Go back to everything you could ever dream of!'  
  
At first I was very tempted. I could remember it all. Servants, castles, money, power, people hopping to do my every command.  
  
But then I thought of Jasmine.  
  
But then I thought of the power and money.  
  
Jasmine.  
  
Power and money.  
  
True love.  
  
Everything else a guy could want.  
  
I was horrible. I hardly got any sleep anymore due to it all. Jasmine noticed, ofcourse. I got paler, less of my normal self.  
  
That's when I found the domed room, and knew I could be a bit more at peace in there. It was my sanctuary. I spent more time there and less time with Jasmine.  
  
I felt bad about that, but I couldn't help it. That room was so calm and serene.... it was wonderful, so wonderful. I craved spending time in that room more then I craved Jasmine.  
  
But that room.... it was everything I imagined to make me feel peaceful.  
  
Maybe there was a spell on the room to do that to someone, but I didn't care. If that was what it was then fine, I was under a spell.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
I blinked at her voice, and turned to see Jasmine. For some reason I felt more interested in going back to that room then her. "Hullo." I said quietly.  
  
"Draco, something is wrong with you." She said. She was looking extremely worried. "What is it?"  
  
"I'm fine." I said, staring into her face. It didn't seem as beautiful as it did before. What seemed beautiful was that room. Ah the greenness! The serenity!  
  
"No you are NOT! You WILL tell me what is wrong with you right now or-or-"  
  
"Or what?" I asked.  
  
"Draco, please!" She said, tears running down her face. I quickly wiped them away and kissed her.  
  
"Jasmine, you know I love you." But did I? Did I love her as much as I used to? Maybe our relationship was a quick fling.  
  
"If you love me then you can tell me what's wrong." She whispered.  
  
"I've just been having these nightmares." I said, stroking her silky hair. "They'll go away soon, I'll be fine." Would I? Would I be fine? Or was I going to lead a tormented and anguished life?  
  
"I hope so." Jasmine said with a smile. Oh that smile melted my heart. But not all of it. Some of my heart wished for everything I had before her. And some of my heart wished to go back to that room. "Why don't we take a walk?" She asked.  
  
"No, I'm awfully tired."  
  
"Well we can go outside and rest like Peggy and Ron."  
  
"I think I need to be alone for a while. After dinner how about we go somewhere." I offered.  
  
"Okay." She kissed me, and I walked off. After I made sure no one was following me, I returned to the room even though I had just left.  
  
This was perfect, it was heaven. Everything to make me feel calmer and at peace. I sat down near the frizz plant and fell asleep.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
Over the next week or so, Jasmine got exceedingly more worried about Malfoy. And so I got more worried about Jasmine. And Luna got worried about me. So Lupus got worried about her. So Ginny got worried about him. Ron WOULD of gotten worried about Ginny, but he was too busy being worried about Peggy.  
  
Yeah so the middle of April was pretty much full of worries. Luna, Lupus, and Ginny were pretty busy with their O.W.Ls. I gave Luna all the support she could use, along with some to spare. I think she gave all the spare I gave her to Lupus.  
  
Finally, I decided to talk to Malfoy again. It took me hours to find him! I finally did. He was coming out of a secret passage. "Malfoy." I snapped.  
  
He jumped and turned. "Leave me alone, Potter."  
  
"I'd like to, its just you are doing THAT to my sister! She has been getting very worried and upset because of you. I hate you, but I love Jasmine and I want to know what the hell is wrong."  
  
"None of your business." Malfoy said, scowling. I grabbed him by the wrist and clutched tightly.  
  
"Tell me right now, Malfoy, or I'll swear I'll kick you so hard in that one place, the Malfoy line will end with you."  
  
Malfoy scowled and pushed me away. "Fuck you, Potter." He growled. "Close your eyes. Go on." I sighed and close my eyes. When he said I could open them, I did and saw an opening in the wall. Frowning, I followed Malfoy rather nervously. We went down a long, dark tunnel and ended up at a closed door. "I swear if you tell anyone...." Malfoy growled as he opened the door.  
  
I blinked as we walked into the room. It was a large.... living room like. A large scarlet couch sat beside a lit fire with scarlet pillows and gold tassels. A coffee table was stretched out in front of it, and some books, a newspaper, and a cup of tea sitting there. There was a round table beside it, with a scarlet-shaded lamp with gold lions embroidered in the top and bottom. Beside that was a deeper scarlet armchair with a gold lion design on the back. I blinked again and stepped forward. This place seemed so familiar. There was bookcases along one wall. Most the walls were brick. Soft music was playing.  
  
"It's amazing." I whispered, wondering why it was so amazing.  
  
"I know, isn't it?" Malfoy asked.  
  
I nodded and sat down on the sofa. The fire flickered cozily and above the fireplace....  
  
I stared. It was a family portrait. The tallest was a man with messy jet black hair, deep brown eyes and glasses. He had one arm around a woman with beautiful red hair pulled in a bun on her head. Two red curls came down either side of her loving face. The man's other arm was around Jasmine. Jasmine had her arm linked with mine and our mother hand her hand on my shoulder. It was a family portrait as if it was done of all four of us about this time.  
  
"Can I be alone?" I asked Malfoy.  
  
"Er-yes." He scowled and left. I shut the door and returned to the couch. It was soft and cozy. I curled up, resting against the armchair. I continued staring up at the portrait. It seemed perfect, so right. So warm and cozy. I closed my eyes, listening to the music.  
  
I REMEMBERED IT!  
  
I jerked up as I realized where I heard the music. I closed my eyes again....  
  
My mother's face appeared in front of me, humming the music along with it being played through the speakers. She used to play it all the time....  
  
I searched the room and found the CD player. There was an empty case beside it. Only one song on it, the song playing.  
  
'My Life Is Love And Laughter' by Strauss.  
  
Mum loved that song. I stared back up at the portrait and remembered when she and dad used to waltz to it.  
  
I set the CD case down and returned to the sofa. They could be here, in this room with me and I'd never know. Jasmine would. She got that talent. Why was it her and not me? It really wasn't fair.  
  
'Nothing is fair.'. I thought unhappily. I was being chased by the most feared wizard, I had so many depending on me to fight back and win. But I couldn't, I was just a 16 years old! This wasn't something I couldn't handle!  
  
It just wasn't bleeding fair! Why me?! Why was Voldemort after me in the first place?! I never did anything to him in the FIRST place!  
  
No, nothing was fair. My entire life was just one big mess-up. I was a mess- up. Everyone looked up to me. Thinking I'm this hero. But I wasn't. And I was sick of people thinking that. I'm more then just a famous name, or a scar.  
  
I am Harry James Potter and nothing else!!!  
  
And I was going to, somehow, some way, stop people from thinking of me as the famous Harry Potter. Everybody knew me for my name, and not me. Everyone wanted to know me for my fame, and not me. Everyone except my true friends.  
  
Or did they?  
  
Ron knew I was who I was right from the start. So did Hermione. And Luna.  
  
Did they like me for who I really was?  
  
Ron and Hermione had taken risks for me. More then once.  
  
Ron died for me.  
  
Yes, Ron and Hermione were true friends. They did not care that I was famous.  
  
But did Luna?  
  
Did she really love me for who I was? Or was it just to be Harry Potter's girlfriend? Was she really sincere? Did she really love me?  
  
I looked at the cup of tea and sniffed it. It smelled fresh. I tasted it- yes it was good. I drank it all and set the cup down. I stared back up at the portrait. My parents........ their arms around Jasmine and me. Jasmine.  
  
She needed to know about this room.  
  
Or did she?  
  
This room was so wonderful.  
  
Then I remembered where I had seen this room before.  
  
It was my old living room, at my house before Voldemort destroyed it all.  
  
But how?  
  
I blinked back tears, gripping the tea cup. How could this be my living room?  
  
It was my living room. I knew it was. The look, the feel, the smell.  
  
It was my home.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I stared down the black tunnel. It was so dark-was this the way to the kitchen? I pulled my wand out and lit it. I had been looking for the kitchens (I was still craving apple pie!) and I found this secret passage. I had no idea where it led to. Maybe the kitchens, maybe not. But this was me-Peggy Morlins. I could not let a secret passage go by undetected.  
  
I arrived at a door and pushed it open. I gasped and put my hands to my face. It was beautiful.  
  
It was a small forest. Very small, and it went from not too many trees to a thick forest. Light filtered through the leaves making it kind of glow greenish. There was a babbling brook running through the trees. At one point the stream hit a rock and poured down on either side, making short waterfalls into a pond. I pushed my hair back and walked forward. I could hear the sounds of a typical forest.  
  
It was so wonderful.  
  
How could this be in Hogwarts?  
  
I went by the stream and sat down, touching the water. It was cool, and refreshing to my hand. It was fairly warm, so I took my shoes off and rolled up the legs of my jeans. I dipped my feet and calves and moaned slightly. It felt so good! So refreshing! So perfect!  
  
I stood up, and waded to the middle of the stream. It wasn't a deep part and only came up to my knees. It felt so good! I smiled as minnows and fish flashed by me in a quick bit of silver. I went to a rock. It was covered with thick moss and it was so AMAZING!  
  
A large willow tree overhung and so it was behind the perfectly leaved branches. There was a large wall of rock before the tree even started so it really was overhanging.  
  
I sat down on the rock and closed my eyes, enjoying this.  
  
It was so nice. A great place for me to unwind.  
  
Of course, I wouldn't need to unwind as much of Ron wouldn't keep winding me up like a clockwork mouse! He was so impatient!  
  
Okay, so I was annoying and whiny but hey! I was PREGNANT!  
  
Ron couldn't-and wouldn't-understand. He was just a-a-a self-centered brat!  
  
Okay, maybe that was a bit overboard. But still. I wouldn't BE like this if he hadn't of gotten all hormonal! Sure he was sweet but.... he was so.... aggravating.  
  
Why did I even love him?  
  
Maybe Robert was right.  
  
Maybe Ron wasn't for me.  
  
***  
  
I kept going to the room. I couldn't help it. It called my name, day and night. I began to get obsessed by it. It haunted me. And one day, I even skipped out of Charms early to go to it. CHARMS! My FAVORITE class!  
  
Ron questioned me, naturally. But I felt weird around me. Was he really the one for me? Many people fell in and out of love before they found 'the one'.  
  
Maybe Robert was right. Maybe I needed to break up with him. I didn't want my life completely controlled by anyone!  
  
Of course I would never go for that pervert Jack. Ugh he was so disgusting! He made Ron look like-like a monk!  
  
I sighed and trailed my fingers in the water. It was so nice here, so serene, and calm. Away from everything. Away from all the problems.  
  
Of course I was about to have an even bigger problem. A baby. Could I handle a baby? I was so scared at the thought! But it was too late now.  
  
Unless....  
  
There was always....  
  
Abortion.  
  
No, I couldn't!  
  
But then the biggest problem in my life right now would no longer be.  
  
Or was Ron my biggest problem? I knew perfectly well the reason he turned into a rabbit. Ugh.  
  
Or maybe it was Robert. He practically controlled my life! I hated it! I hated him!  
  
I just wanted to be free.  
  
I curled up, hugging my knees as tears slid down my cheek. My life was totally horrible. My biggest fear was my dad, I had a very-yeah boyfriend, I was pregnant, and I hardly had any friends.  
  
I was completely alone in the world full of billions of people. Everything in my life was so incredibly crappy! I was a-a-a-an annoying bitch! No wonder no one liked me!  
  
I burst into tears, and began crying into my arms.  
  
*** (Sirius's point of view)  
  
HEY! A new secret passage! I just discovered a new secret passage!  
  
As I went down the dark corridor, I wondered how this secret passage ever escaped the Marauder's attention.  
  
I finally got to the door and pushed it open.  
  
I stared around, amazed at the sight in front of me.  
  
It was.... perfect.  
  
***  
  
Remus was the first to notice the change in Sirius. He started acting very weird. Became very distant. Finally Trixie asked Remus if he knew what was up with him.  
  
"No, sorry. I'm busy worrying about the Stone." Remus said with a sigh.  
  
"Why's that?" Emerin asked.  
  
"HelLO?! Voldemort has it!" Remus snapped.  
  
"Oh my God, I've been so busy I forgot to-I'm an idiot, here." She held out her hand and dropped the Stone into Remus's hand.  
  
Remus stared at the impish woman. "How the hell did you-"  
  
Emerin grinned. "You know that guy? Jared?"  
  
"The one who chatted you up in the Three Broomsticks, yeah." Ivana said.  
  
"He's a Death Eater. He's the one that either got the Stone, or killed Skeeter and took the Stone from her. Either way, he had the Stone. I found it in his bedroom when he took me back to his house our first date. I pretended to go to the lavatory."  
  
"Then how come you're still dating him if he's a bloody Death Eater?" Remus demanded.  
  
"Cause 1. He wants something from me and I want to know what. But if it's THAT, uh heh, heh, he is sure as hell not getting it. 2. I want to see if there is more things I can find out and 3. He's bloody handsome."  
  
"Ember! I didn't think you'd be the kind of witch to date a man cause of his looks." Bert said.  
  
"Hey! A lot of the witches in Hogsmeade teased me cause I'm so damn small and impish now I'm getting revenge on them." Emerin laughed an evil cackle then went off.  
  
"She never ceases to amaze me." Bert said.  
  
"Bert, you never cease to amaze ME." Remus said, shaking his head and pocketing the Stone.  
  
***  
  
Lucius Malfoy kept examining the mirror. It reflected everything that happened in the room he had put the spell on. He knew his bastard of a son went in there, but also, to his interest, so did a Gryffindor girl, a teacher, and none other then Harry Potter.  
  
Lucius hoped that the spell wouldn't make Potter kill himself. Potter was needed to be alive. Besides, the spell was for Draco.  
  
His last visit he had made the secret passage and room, and put the spell on it. The spell took over the body of whoever entered the room.  
  
First, everyone would see the room differently. It had just been an old room before. But every time someone entered.... they would see what made them the most serene, the most at peace, cozy, warm, happy! They would feel drawn back to the room. It would take over their minds.  
  
And of course every minute spent in the room, would be spent questioning the most important things in that persons life.  
  
And of course the more time spent questioning, the more shadow and doubt would fill that persons mind. After a while they would go to the next level.  
  
Lucius smiled, wondering when they'd get to the next part. It was very fun to watch.  
  
They started dismissing the things they pride themselves the most on. For instance if a person prided themselves on being so smart, they start to feel stupid. They would eventually become stupid themselves. Lucius wondered what his son prided himself on the most. His handsome looks? He'd become as ugly as hell. His wonderful relationship with the Potter girl? They'd be at each others throats.  
  
Maybe this would be best for the Potter boy though. He prided himself on being good, brave, and fair. He'd become mean, a coward, a crook.  
  
But Voldemort wanted Harry Potter just as he was.  
  
Lucius sighed. He'd just have to get Potter out of that room somehow. It'd be hard for him, ofcourse. It had been four days since he found the room. Four days drawn into the spell. It'd be so hard to get him out of the swamp. But he'd have to do it.  
  
Draco was days and days drawn in the spell. Any day now he'd become the complete opposite of what he was. Then, the horror of becoming what he hated so much would most likely drive himself to suicide. Lucius set his mirror down and stood up. He didn't give a rat's behind for his son anymore. Not that he really cared all that much for him in the first place. He had hoped his son would uphold the family honour but oh well.  
  
Lucius walked into his parlour and found his wife sitting there, sewing. She didn't know any of this. She still thought Draco was perfectly happy. Lucius had completely prevented her from finding out everything. After all, she didn't love him anymore. She loved their idiotic son.  
  
At first they did love each other. It had been a whirl of romance, drinks and they gotten married. Even before their first wedding anniversary, Draco was born. He was all that kept Lucius and Narcissa together. Well that as well as a few spells Lucius put on his wife.  
  
"Were you checking up on Draco?" Narcissa asked, looking up.  
  
"Yes." Lucius said, flexing his hands and fingers.  
  
"How is he doing?"  
  
"Same as he has been." Lucius sat down, his gray eyes looking over his wife. She was so beautiful. He could not lose her. Of course, if they got the news Draco had-  
  
Well she'd leave him in a minute! What he needed was another child. Another heir, and another thing to keep Narcissa with him.  
  
"How about a drink?" Lucius asked.  
  
"That'd be nice." Narcissa said quietly.  
  
Lucius smiled as he slipped the potion in. The potion to make her slightly confused. He handed the glass to his wife, drank his own and watched as she drained her own glass.  
  
*** (Bert's point of view)  
  
I narrowed my eyes as Sirius emerged from the secret passage. After he left, I slipped into the dark corridor and pulled out my tape recorder which ran on magic.  
  
"01800 hours. 22nd April. Tuesday. I have found out where Sirius Black goes on his outings. It is a dark, secret passage. One never explored by me before." I pulled out a handgun. Small, but I could handle it with one hand. "I am preparing to fight if anything comes out."  
  
I got to the end of the passage and kicked open the door. When I saw what it was, I dropped my tape recorder.  
  
It was perfect.  
  
A room filled with racks and racks of guns! All sizes and types! Hundreds and hundreds of ammo! Barrels of gunpowder! I put the handgun up and stepped forward, staring at the polished weapons. My fingers left my handgun and I wondered if someone had tried to attack me, if I would of shot them.  
  
Oh God, I would of!  
  
I couldn't of! I couldn't kill! I grabbed my handgun and set it on a counter, stepping away. Guns were so violent! How could I ever like them!?  
  
WAIT A MINUTE!  
  
I grabbed the handgun and ran out of the room. There was a spell on it!  
  
***  
  
"A spell?!" Remus, Emerin, Ivana and Trixie all demanded after I told them.  
  
"Yeah. I was actually not liking guns." I said, polishing my grizzly500.  
  
"Yeesh, that's not like you." Emerin said.  
  
"Exactly. Well, that's where Sirius goes." I said, shaking my head. "I can see why, though. I am very tempted to go back."  
  
"Ah! I know what spell it is!" Ivana suddenly said. "There must be a Drawing spell on it. It keeps your mind on it. Draws you back."  
  
"Of course. That's why I'm so-you know, I need to go to the loo." I said, standing up.  
  
"SIT DOWN!" They all shouted, grabbed my arms and pulled me down.  
  
"Sorry!" I pulled my hat off and wiped my forehead.  
  
"Sirius must be being drawn back to the room. But why is he acting so weird?" Trixie asked.  
  
"Of course." Emerin said, smiling. "There is this one spell that makes you... confused. It makes you question everything. Especially things that are important to you. It must be a double spell." Emerin bit her bottom lip. "Oh dear we really need to stop him from going there!"  
  
"Why? What happens?" Trixie asked.  
  
"It will make you insane." Emerin said quietly. We all looked at each other and decided to find Sirius this very second.  
  
***  
  
The group ran down the hallways and found a scene in front of the entrance. Sirius, Harry, Peggy and Malfoy were all shouting at each other.  
  
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! What is going on?!" Remus demanded.  
  
"THEY are taking MY secret place!" All four shouted angrily.  
  
"I discovered it first!" Malfoy yelled.  
  
"I am the oldest!" Sirius snapped.  
  
"No you're just old." Harry growled.  
  
"I'm the girl, I deserve it!" Peggy screamed.  
  
"I-uh-I deserve it just as much as you guys!" Harry yelled. "I'M THE FAMOUS ONE!"  
  
"You don't like being famous!"  
  
"That's not the point."  
  
"Well, I'm the good-looking one." Malfoy snapped.  
  
"Oh shut up, blondie." Harry hissed.  
  
"I'm the girl, and girls first."  
  
"All right I agree to that."  
  
"You do, Sirius?"  
  
"Yeah, your the first one NOT to go in!"  
  
"GUYS!"  
  
Remus grabbed Sirius's arm, Trixie grabbed Peggy's arm, Emerin grabbed Harry's, and Ivana grabbed Malfoy's arm.  
  
"We are going to go and sit down and talk this over." Remus said.  
  
"In the room?" Malfoy asked hopefully.  
  
"NO!"  
  
***  
  
It took hours, many spells, some Butterbeer, and girlfriends/boyfriend/fiancee to finally calm the four incredibly angry people.  
  
Trixie was snapping angrily at Sirius, Luna was staring at Harry sadly, Jasmine was crying into Malfoy's shoulder, and Ron was comforting a weeping Peggy. "I can't believe it was a spell." Harry said, rubbing Luna's back.  
  
"It makes sense." Sirius said, blinking. "I am so sorry, Trix."  
  
"It's okay." Trixie said.  
  
"This is stupid, it can't be a spell." Malfoy said.  
  
"He's still under it." Jasmine said, wiping her tears.  
  
"He had been going to the longest, he's pretty confused." Emerin said, sipping her tea.  
  
"How long until he's back to normal?" Jasmine asked, stroking his silvery blonde hair.  
  
"A while." Emerin said with a sigh.  
  
"I hope not too terribly long." Jasmine said. Malfoy scowled.  
  
"I'm perfectly sane." He said.  
  
"I want to know who did this. Who put the spell on the room. I mean, it was impossible for it to be there when we went to school." Ivana said.  
  
"I know, it would never of escaped our discovering." Remus said with a nod.  
  
***  
  
By the first weekend of May, everyone was back to normal or as close as they could become. They told Dumbledore about the room and he managed to destroy the spell.  
  
It turned out to be a room filled with chamber pots. 


	21. Invisibility Cloaks

Author's Note: Bert Sallis is based on Bert Gummer from the Tremors movies, and the Tremors series. Now then. This series has not turned out how I liked. I really dislike what I have done with it. It has become more.. life- related then Voldemort-is-evil-related. I just want to throw everything out but I will continue posting chapters. I WILL do it more often whether I have reviews or not. I know it is not and I am no longer going to beg for reviews because that does not work. I haven't posted the third story in this series yet, but I will soon as soon as I finish rewriting it.  
  
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE- Invisibility Cloaks (Ron's point of view)  
  
"No." "Yes. Wait, no." "Yes." "Yes." "No." "Yes." "Yes." "No." "Yes." "No." "NnnnnYes." "No. Wait, yes." "Yes." "No." "No, no." "Yes." "No." "No." "Yes. Wait, no." "Yes." "No." "No." "No." "Yes." "No. Er, yes." "Yes." "No!" "No." "Yes."  
  
Peggy and I looked at each other, and back at Madame Pomfrey. Pomfrey sighed. "Well, do you want to know the gender of the child or not?" She repeated.  
  
"Can you give us a hint?" I asked.  
  
"Well?" She asked.  
  
"Yes." We chorused. She put her wand against Peggy's middle which was getting bigger and said a spell. Her wand glowed white, then faded into blue.  
  
"Boy."  
  
"Boy." We both said. Pomfrey pulled her wand away.  
  
"Yes, a boy."  
  
"A boy." Peggy and I looked at each other. "A boy."  
  
"Yes! A boy!" Pomfrey said.  
  
"Hoo boy."  
  
***  
  
"Whatcha doing?" Harry flopped onto a couch beside Peggy and I.  
  
"Going through baby names." Peggy said.  
  
"It's going to be a boy." I said, pulling at a rather long bit of hair.  
  
"What names do you have so far?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, mine are: Ashley, Brandon, Brett, Garrett, Jesse, Karl, Landon, Nathan, Ralphie, Sean, Theodore, and William." Peggy said.  
  
I made a sort of gagging sound. "What are yours?" Harry asked.  
  
I grinned and held up my piece of paper. "Ron Junior and Xavier." Harry snorted then coughed. "What?!" I demanded.  
  
"Ron Junior or Xavier?!" He demanded.  
  
"I like them." Peggy snorted. "Hey, you suggested 'Ashley'. That's a girls name!" I snapped.  
  
"It can be a boys name OR a girls name."  
  
"Emphasis on girl." I mumbled.  
  
"I refuse to name the kid 'Ron Junior' or 'Xavier'."  
  
"And I refuse to name the kid 'Ashley' or 'Ralphie'!"  
  
"Plhplhphlhplhplhphlphlh!" She blew a raspberry at me.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Harry said.  
  
"He/she is impossible!" Peggy and I shouted, pointing at each other.  
  
"You just need to come to a name you both like." Harry said.  
  
"Hmph." We both grumbled, sitting back and folding our arms.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
"Draco, sweetie, you still seem worried." I told him, early one Saturday afternoon as we sat underneath a tree. His head was in my lap and I was running my fingers through his hair.  
  
"I am."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Er, nothing."  
  
"Draco." I warned.  
  
He sighed and sat up. "I need to tell you. I should tell you."  
  
"Tell me." I said.  
  
"Voldemort is planning a big attack. He is getting all his Death Eaters and followers as strong as possible, and is going to attack London."  
  
I got extremely pale, my eyes bugged out, and I felt faint. "Oh." I said quietly. "When?"  
  
"I don't know." He admitted with a shrug.  
  
"Have you told anyone?"  
  
"Just that spelled room and you."  
  
"Draco! We need to tell Dumbledore right away!"  
  
"I---" I grabbed Draco's arm and dragged him to Dumbledore's office. After remembering the password, we went up.  
  
"Come in." Dumbledore said after I knocked. I dragged Draco in and sat him down.  
  
"Draco has important, critical, need-to-know information." I said.  
  
Dumbledore linked his fingers and looked at Draco. "Well?"  
  
"Er." Draco looked at me and I folded my arms. He sighed, and told him. Dumbledore sat back.  
  
"I see. Can you swear to this?"  
  
"Yes, sir. Draco mumbled.  
  
Dumbledore rose up, went over to the wall. He pressed a brick and another brick flipped over revealing a keypad. He pressed notes on it and the beginning of the theme song to "Monty Python's Flying Circus" played. My eyes got wide as the wall literally melted away and a door appeared. "Come with me." He said, opening the door.  
  
Draco and I went in, and followed him down long white corridors. We finally got a to a huge doorway. The molding around it was gold, and the white doors huge. Dumbledore opened them and there was a long hall. On the right side was five silver doors and on the left, six. At the very end of the hall was a large golden door with odd markings in it. Dumbledore took us to one of the silver doors and went into the office. It was lavished beautifully with fancy things and a pretty secretary.  
  
"Oh, hello." The secretary said, looking up from her keyboard.  
  
"I need to see Mr. English right away." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Yes sir." She pointed to the door, and we went into the office.  
  
An older man with thick white hair and a nice face looked up. "Hello."  
  
"Mr. English." Dumbledore said, pushing Draco forward.  
  
"I thought I was Mr. English." The man said in confusion.  
  
"No, this is Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"Isn't he a Death Eater?" Mr. English asked.  
  
"My father is." Draco said quietly.  
  
"He has fascinating information." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Who this young man's father?"  
  
"No this young man."  
  
"Well?" Mr. English asked.  
  
Draco chewed his bottom lip, glancing at me. I held his hand and squeezed it. "Voldemort is---is planning a-an attack. A, uh, big one. He, uh, he is getting, uh, all his, er, Death Eaters a-and and followers, erm, as strong as, uh, possible, and, uh, and uh, is, uh is going to er, uh, he's doing to, um, attack London."  
  
Mr. English raised his eyebrows. "How do you know?"  
  
"Er, I overheard."  
  
"From a reliable source?"  
  
"I'm in Slytherin house at Hogwarts. About three-fifth the kids are kids of Death Eaters and I walked in on a meeting. I overheard from them. They were bragging about which parents were going to, er, kill more Muggles in the attack." He said quietly. I kissed his hand and smiled.  
  
"I see. Well, thank you for sharing this essential information. Do you know when this attack is going to occur?"  
  
"No." Draco admitted.  
  
"Thank you. Albus, stay here I need to talk to you. Miss Thorpe." His secretary came in.  
  
"Yes Mr. English?"  
  
"Take these two back to Hogwarts."  
  
"Yes, Mr. English." Draco and I followed the witch back to the room with the door that went into Dumbledore's office. "Good day." She said, shutting the door behind her. When she did, it melted back into the brick wall.  
  
"What was that place?" Draco asked as we left the office.  
  
"I'm guessing it was the I.W.A." I said in amazement.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
I jerked up, awaken by a piercing scream that made my blood run cold. I pushed myself out of bed, and turned the lights on. Dean, Donnie, Seamus, and Neville were all up, too.  
  
The scream was from Ron. We pushed open his bed curtains and gasped.  
  
He was gone!  
  
*** (Ron's point of view)  
  
I stared around me in complete and total shock. Either I was dreaming, or was having a vision. I was in You-Know-Who's throne room. The black marble throne stood out so much against the pressing whiteness. But the figure in the throne was not You-Know-Who.  
  
"Hello." The young girl said.  
  
"Who are you?" I asked.  
  
She stood up and pushed back her curls. "You know perfectly well who I am."  
  
"Arva." I said.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I thought I killed you." I sneered.  
  
"No. It almost worked, but I was still alive."  
  
"Oh, you're dead now?"  
  
"No. Voldemort tried killing me. Nearly did." She opened her robes and I saw a scar in her stomach that went up to her ribs and---  
  
"Okay I don't want to see that."  
  
"The scar or other things?"  
  
"What do you think? Hate to break it to you, but I've got a girl."  
  
"Voldemort is attacking London."  
  
"So that's where he is."  
  
"Not at this moment."  
  
"Is this a vision?"  
  
"Of course not. I summoned you here."  
  
"Out of Hogwarts? That's impossible."  
  
"Not for me." Arva said, twirling her curls around her fingers. "I'm an extremely powerful witch."  
  
"Can I go now?" I asked.  
  
"The I.W.A. already knows Voldemort will be attacking London, thanks to your friend Draco Malfoy."  
  
"He's not my friend."  
  
"Voldemort will be attacking London, on May 24th."  
  
"Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"I hate Voldemort."  
  
"What took so long?"  
  
"I want him dead."  
  
"Welcome to the club." I had no idea how I was keeping my cool, but I was.  
  
"If the I.W.A. is ready, they can kill and capture hundreds of Death Eaters. And maybe even Voldemort."  
  
"Will you be among them?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"I told you. I want Voldemort dead."  
  
"How come? I mean, I agree with you but you're evil."  
  
"Exactly. Once Voldemort is out of the way, my pathway is cleared."  
  
"Oh that's nice."  
  
Arva twitched her hand at me and I was slammed against the wall. "Tell the I.W.A."  
  
"I dunno where they are."  
  
"Then tell that annoying godfather of Potter's."  
  
"What does he have to do with it?" I demanded.  
  
"Oh honestly, haven't you figured it out? He works there."  
  
I arched my eyebrows. "He does?"  
  
Arva laughed and removed the spell. I slumped to the floor, having difficulty with my breathing. "Of course you nitwit."  
  
"Oh, if you're going to insult me I might not tell." I said, shakily standing up. I was slammed against the wall again and groaned.  
  
"Oh you won't? You'd rather have Voldemort succeed?"  
  
"Fine, fine. I'll tell. But just so all those Muggles will be saved and not so you have a chance to become #1." I fell to the ground again as she removed the spell.  
  
"Good." She waved her hand and I was back in my bed.  
  
***  
  
"Oh, back again are you?" The man behind the desk asked.  
  
"This young man has found out when the attack will be." Dumbledore said, urging me forward.  
  
"Well?" He asked me, eyes peering.  
  
"Uh, May 24th." I said.  
  
"How do you know?" He asked.  
  
"Er. I don't want to tell."  
  
"Mr. Weasley (Now how did he know my name?!) if you do not willingly tell.. ." The wizard left this for my imagination.  
  
"I was summoned, right out of my bed." I said, casting glances at Dumbledore.  
  
"That's impossible."  
  
"Her name is Arva Dekadava. She's an extremely powerful witch. The Unforgivable curses don't work on her. She used to work for Voldemort, and I tried killing her with a knife but it didn't work. Voldemort tried killing her later but it didn't work. She doesn't even need a wand to do magic." I said, not even realizing I had said You-Know-Who's name.  
  
"Can do magic without a wand?" The wizard asked, glancing at Dumbledore.  
  
"An omnipotent magus?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"It would seem. But there's only one alive and we know exactly where that one is." The wizard said. "Well if an omnipotent magus means 'can do magic without wand' then there's another, Arva." I said, wringing my hands.  
  
"We need to check into this." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Where is she?" The man behind the desk asked.  
  
"I don't know." I admitted.  
  
"Albus, go see if anyone else knows about this." The wizard said. Dumbledore nodded and left. The man turned back and studied me. "You're the kid who was dead, right?"  
  
"Yes." I said, disconcerted.  
  
"You're the one Sir is after."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Brought back with the Stone?"  
  
"I hate to be repetitive but yes."  
  
"I see." The wizard traced a design on his desk. "Do you have the Stone?"  
  
"Not with me."  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
The man studied me and sighed. "Well that can't be helped. Anything else to tell me?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Mr. English."  
  
"No Mr. English."  
  
"I'll have my secretary take you back to Hogwarts then." He nodded, and I was shown out.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
"You were summoned right out of your bed?"  
  
"Yes." Ron replied.  
  
"By the evil girl we thought was dead?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And she told you when---"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you were taken to the-"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ron and I were talking about his experience. He was taken to the I.W.A. again. "So the door IS in Dumbledore's office?"  
  
"Yes." Ron replied. "It is. You push a brick and this keypad appearing and you play this music on it. It opens a door."  
  
"Hmm." I said, trying to recollect my thoughts. Everything was swirling about in my head in a quagmire of quandary.  
  
"Har, you okay?" Ron asked.  
  
"Fine, just thinking."  
  
"About?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
"Blimey, that will take a while."  
  
I smiled and sipped some water. I wondered how everything was going to end up. I had no idea. Everything was just muddled together like Sirius's last attempt of making vegetable stew. When that had happened, I had decided, after finding a fish bone in it, it was much safer not to eat it. In fact it was probably not even safe to dump it out. I began to wonder whatever happened to that sickening soup. I began to wonder whether everything would turn out nice, like Hermione's cooking, or horrible, like Sirius's. I began to wonder if there was any point in doing anything but sit here and put myself into an even more perplexed plight and quagmire of quandary.  
  
I then wondered how on Earth I knew perplexed plight and quagmire of quandary.  
  
After that I wondered if that cursed room did any damage on my brain. It certainly seemed so, after all I knew what perplexed plight and quagmire of quandary meant.  
  
"Harry!" I blinked and sat back, seeing Luna standing there.  
  
"Oh, hello." I said.  
  
"I said good morning to you about fifty times." She complained.  
  
"Sorry, I'm busy sinking into a state of stupidity." I said, kissing her on the cheek. "My head's pretty much nothing but disorder right now."  
  
"Oh." She said, sliding into the seat next to me. "Anything I can help with?"  
  
"No, it's okay." I said with a shrug. "I don't think anything can help me right now."  
  
***  
  
If they succeed what would happen? Would London would be destroyed, or turned into a town of evil wizardry?  
  
Thoughts like these turned over in my head. Would Voldemort succeed? Between Jasmine and Ron I knew everything. May 24th. The attack. Or would it be prevented? Could the I.W.A. win? and WHAT THE HELL WAS THE I.W.A?!  
  
I needed to find out, and the only way to do so.... was Dumbledore's office.  
  
Maybe I should sneak in sometime. Jasmine and Ron knew which brick, and the music to played. I'd have to convince them.  
  
Yes, that would work.  
  
Only problem is, all three of us couldn't fit under my Invisibility Cloak. Ron was too tall. Hmm.  
  
***  
  
"Ouch! Harry you nitwit you stepped on my foot."  
  
"Sorry Jasmine."  
  
"You better be."  
  
"Oh shut up."  
  
"No you shut up."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Ron, you still back there?"  
  
"Of course I am, Har."  
  
"Sorry its just I can't tell what with us under two different Invisibility Cloaks. Jelly Slugs." The Gargoyle sprang aside to let the invisible people go up into Dumbledore's empty office.  
  
"I'm just following the sounds of the quibbling siblings."  
  
"By the way where did you get the Invisibility Cloak?"  
  
"Peggy."  
  
"Peggy has a Invisibility Cloak?"  
  
"Well of course she has, how else could Ron borrow it from her?"  
  
"Oh be quiet."  
  
"Brothers and sisters should not be stuck under the same Invisibility Cloak."  
  
"Fine then, Jasmine. Go and get stuck with Ron."  
  
"There's no room under my Invisibility Cloak."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"I'm under here."  
  
"Peggy?!"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Ron-you brought Peggy along?"  
  
"Of course I did, Harry. I had to tell her why I wanted to borrow her cloak."  
  
"Yes Ron is a good boyfriend unlike OTHERS."  
  
"LUNA?!"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"I think I'm somewhere next to you, but with everyone under Invisibility Cloaks I can't be sure."  
  
"'Ere, except for me."  
  
"LUPUS?!"  
  
"Yeah, Lupus is here with me. Ginny, too."  
  
"Ginny?!"  
  
"Yes, Ron?"  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Coming with Lupus."  
  
"See? Your the only boyfriend who didn't invite their girlfriend along."  
  
"Luna, this was supposed to be private."  
  
"Well for something so secret, why is there 8 people?"  
  
"Okay now who's this new voice?"  
  
"'Ere, it sounds like Draco."  
  
"It is me, Jasmine."  
  
'Where are you?"  
  
"Somewhere in this office."  
  
"Invisibility Cloak?"  
  
"Of course, Potter, what do you think? Floating somewhere above you?"  
  
"Where did you get that Invisibility Cloak?"  
  
"My father gave it to me for my tenth birthday."  
  
"Okay so how many Invisibility Cloaks and people under the cloaks do we have?!"  
  
"Well there's you and me, Har, under dads."  
  
"And me under mine."  
  
"Peggy and me under hers."  
  
"Lupus, Gin, and me under the one we took from our parents."  
  
"So four cloaks and eight people?"  
  
"No, six cloaks and nine people."  
  
"WHO'S THIS?!"  
  
"Nobody."  
  
"OKAY THAT IS IT!" Harry pushed his cloak off and he and Jasmine came into view. "Everyone, come on, off with your cloaks."  
  
Ron and Peggy soon came into view. Luna, Lupus, and Ginny followed. Draco was next. "Come on, you too." Harry growled, wondering who the other person was.  
  
"I am the ghooooooost of Christmas paaaaaaaaaast. Be kiiiiiiiind to Tiny Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim."  
  
"Sirius!" Harry yelled.  
  
"It isn't Sirius!" The voice insisted.  
  
"Oh PLEASE. Okay, how did you know about this?" Harry demanded. He was surprised to see Remus standing there, not Sirius.  
  
"Dad?" Luna and Lupus asked.  
  
"Ivana saw the twins nicking our cloak, got me to take this cloak from Emerin, and I followed them." Remus explained.  
  
"And I followed you." They jumped and spun around as Emerin came into view. She was folding an Invisibility Cloak in her arms.  
  
"Where'd you get that cloak?"  
  
"From me, she stole it!" They jumped again as Sirius angrily tore off a cloak and snatched his own cloak from Emerin.  
  
"Sheesh, sorry." Emerin said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Okay so the twins took Ivana and Remus's cloak, Remus took Emerin's cloak, and Emerin took Sirius's cloak." Jasmine said.  
  
"Right."  
  
"So where did you get that one?" Harry asked his godfather.  
  
"Trixie's. I nicked it from her cause it was the safer choice."  
  
"What do you mean 'safer choice'?" Emerin asked.  
  
"What do you think?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yeah, I wouldn't dare try to take anything of Bert's either." Remus said with a grin.  
  
"OKAY! Now that we got it all sorted out, you all can leave." Harry said.  
  
"How come?" Sirius asked, brushing his shaggy hair back.  
  
"I was busy with something important that was supposed to ONLY be me, Jasmine, and Ron." Harry said.  
  
"I love you, too." Hermione came into view as well as she stuffed yet another cloak in her bag.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry said in surprise. Dumbledore's office was getting extremely crowded. "What are you doing here and where did you get that cloak?"  
  
"Well I found Jasmine sneaking off, followed by Peggy and decided to follow them." Hermione said, folding her arms. "And I got the cloak from Viktor last summer. Its his, and he said I could use it. Good thing, too. Harry, I can't believe you didn't let me into these plans."  
  
"My mind has been muddled lately, I wasn't thinking right." Harry muttered.  
  
"Okay so what are we doing?" Sirius asked.  
  
"WE are doing NOTHING. Jasmine, Ron, and I---and Hermione, too. We are going to carry on with my plan."  
  
"If Jasmine is there, so am I." Draco said.  
  
"If Ron is going, so am I." Peggy snapped.  
  
"And Harry, if you go, I'm going too." Luna said.  
  
"If Luna goes, I go."  
  
"And if Lupus goes, so do I."  
  
"Ginny go back."  
  
"Oh shut up Ron."  
  
"I am not leaving this office till you tell me what you are planning on doing, Harry." Sirius said.  
  
"And is dog-breath gets to stay, so do I."  
  
"Oh shut up." Sirius snapped at Remus.  
  
"I am not moving either." Emerin said.  
  
"Neither am I." Said a new voice.  
  
"Oh GOD who NOW?!" Harry yelled.  
  
Trixie and Bert appeared (as well as a few of Bert's guns.). "Us." Trixie said.  
  
"Hello Trixie dear."  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE 'TRIXIE DEAR' ME, SIRIUS EVAN BLACK! You could of brought me along instead of stealing my blasted cloak!"  
  
"Trixie, dear, not now. I'm waiting for Harry's confessional."  
  
"Guys! Please!" Harry whined. "Go away."  
  
"What are you doing at midnight in Dumbledore's office?" Remus asked.  
  
"I'm not telling." Harry said, scowling.  
  
"Then we're not leaving." Sirius said.  
  
"Blimey!" They all jumped as someone turned the lights on.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore!" They all shouted.  
  
The wizard looked at everyone. "I am so sorry, I didn't anticipate a rambunctious party located within the boundaries of my office, I'll just leave then."  
  
"Er, sorry sir." Sirius muttered.  
  
"Yeah, we just followed Harry here." Lupus piped up.  
  
"Actually Trixie and Bert followed Sirius who followed Emerin who followed Remus who followed the twins and Ginny, who followed me. Hermione and Malfoy followed us though not together." Harry said.  
  
"Why were you coming here, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, blue eyes sparkling. Harry had a feeling the old wizard knew perfectly well why he was there.  
  
But before any of them could speak, the wall melted away and the door swung open. Mr. English walked out looking grave. "Albus, we have a serious problem." 


	22. IWA Explained, and Peggy's Secret

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO- I.W.A. Explained, and Peggy's Secret (Ron's point of view)  
  
"I didn't do anything!" Sirius shrieked as soon as Mr. English spoke up.  
  
"Oh, hello Mr. Black." Mr. English said, now noticing the rest of us in the room. "What is going on?"  
  
"A party I wasn't invited to." Dumbledore said, rubbing his beard. "What's the problem?"  
  
"Come and find out." Mr. English said and Dumbledore followed him through the door. Peggy, Harry, Hermione, Jasmine, Luna, Lupus, Ginny, Sirius, Remus, Trixie, Emerin, Bert, Malfoy, and I all slipped through the door before it disappeared.  
  
Mr. English and Dumbledore were gone. Harry smiled and I knew this played into his plans. He wanted us to explore the I.W.A. I had a feeling we'd get lost in there, but we'd eventually find out way out. "You really don't want to investigate this labyrinth." Sirius said, flopping onto a seat that appeared in the white, and previously empty room.  
  
"How do you know?" Harry asked.  
  
"He works here." I said quietly. All colour drained from Sirius's face.  
  
"What?" He sputtered out.  
  
"You work here, don't you?" I asked, staring at him. He began to go all nervous and twitchy.  
  
"I d-d-d-don't know what you m-mean wha-wha-wha-wha-wha-what are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about." He stammered.  
  
"Oh say it like that and they'll be sure to believe you." Remus said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"You work here?" Harry asked in amazement.  
  
"No of course not." Sirius said, scowling at me.  
  
"You DO work here, don't you?!" Harry shrieked.  
  
"WELL YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SO ACCUSING ABOUT IT!" Sirius screamed, leaping to his feet (the seat he had been on melted into the wall).  
  
"You WORK HERE?!" Harry yelled.  
  
"YES I DO!" Sirius screamed, his voice bouncing off the walls.  
  
"You mean you've---all along you---" Jasmine somehow managed.  
  
"But-but-but you're a professor." Hermione said.  
  
"Oh come off it, its just a cover job." Sirius said miserably.  
  
"Cover job?" Harry asked in confusion.  
  
"Yes, I work for the W.P.U. department."  
  
"So what IS all of this I.W.A. junk?" Hermione asked.  
  
Sirius sighed. "Come on." He said so we followed him out into the corridor. "The I.W.A. was founded in BC. It was founded by the twelve most powerful witches and wizards in the world. they decided if they got together, they might be able to help out with all the worlds problems." Sirius said.  
  
"It worked. They became so popular, they needed to take in helpers." Remus said.  
  
"How do you know?" I asked.  
  
"I work here, too. C.R.O.W. department." Remus admitted.  
  
"If we're going to come out in the open with secrets, do I." Bert took his sunglasses off and sighed. "M.W.R."  
  
"You work here? I knew about Moony but not you." Sirius said.  
  
"That's cause I worked in Nevada." Bert said.  
  
"A.M.C.R." Trixie said quickly.  
  
"YOU?!" Sirius demanded.  
  
"I was stationed in Africa." She said.  
  
"If we're all baring our souls, S.A.M.C." Emerin said with a smile.  
  
"Okay so half my friends from school worked here and I never knew." Sirius said, shaking his head.  
  
"The things you discover." Remus said with a smile.  
  
"Okay, so back to explaining about this place." Harry said. Sirius led us into a living room. It was very nice and the furniture so comfortable!  
  
"So anyway, the I.W.A. which stands for International Wizarding Association. They took in helpers from every part of the world. After a while, every single magical person came to them for help. From trivial things like broken wands, to horrible things like loose Manticores." Sirius said as we sat on the couches and chairs.  
  
"They were swamped with things that were so pointless, they hardly had time to get to the more important business." Trixie said.  
  
"So in early AD, they announced the I.W.A. was broken up. No longer existed." Emerin said, filing her nails.  
  
"The T.O.P. which stands for Twelve Of Power, moved headquarters to a secret building. They still worked secretly, of course. Finally the Wizarding world got into such a disarray without anyone taking control, they decided to make the Ministry Of Magic. At first there was just one Ministry for each continent." Remus explained.  
  
"Anyway, at one point the I.W.A. was discovered again and swamped with meaningless things again." Bert said.  
  
"Right. So they moved headquarters to the one place no one would ever expect." Sirius said and waved his arms.  
  
"Where, Hogwarts?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"No, we're not at Hogwarts." Sirius said.  
  
"Where are we?" I asked.  
  
"We're in the center of the Earth."  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
"The center of the Earth?!" I sputtered out.  
  
Sirius grinned. "Yes."  
  
"But---but the center of the Earth is lava." Hermione said.  
  
"No. That was the tale the I.W.A. told to put them off the scent." Emerin said with a grin.  
  
"So the entire middle of the Earth is---"  
  
"The I.W.A." Trixie finished for Hermione, who looked amazed.  
  
"Wow. Big place."  
  
"Duh, its in charge of everything. There are hundreds and hundreds of departments/branches/divisions and the such." Sirius said.  
  
"Only the best witches and wizards work here." Remus said.  
  
"So why they hired the lot of us, I'll never know." Emerin snickered.  
  
"So what were those things you said you worked for?" I asked.  
  
"W.P.U. Wizarding Protection Unit. My assignment is to protect, er, you." Sirius admitted to me.  
  
"Wait a minute, I'm an assignment?" I asked.  
  
"Supposed to be, yes."  
  
I angrily stood up. "And here I was thinking you actually cared!"  
  
"Harry! I DO care about you!"  
  
"Why?! I'm just an 'assignment'!" I stormed to the door to open the it, but Sirius stopped me.  
  
"Harry, you may be an assignment but more importantly you are my godson. If you were just an assignment to me and nothing more, Ron wouldn't even be alive."  
  
"What?" I asked, looking into his face.  
  
"WHAT!?" Ron yelled.  
  
"Sir wanted to destroy the Stone while Ron's life force was in there. I prevented him from doing it, because I care about you, Harry." Sirius said so sincerely I knew he was being honest.  
  
"I'm sorry I got mad, it just... . you know."  
  
"Yeah. Your parents used to work here."  
  
"They did?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"Yeah. James and I worked for the R.D.M.E. Research for Developing Magical Education." Sirius explained. "though why did that I have no idea."  
  
"Lily worked for P.C.E. and I worked for the A.M.C.R. Then again, I still work for that." Trixie said, tossing her hair back. "Advanced Magical Creatures Research."  
  
"S.A.M.C.- Study of Ancient Magical Culture." Emerin said with a smile.  
  
"Mine is the Curse/Countercurse Research from Official Wizards." Remus said, rolling his eyes. "Initials, though, spell out-"  
  
"Crow." Trixie giggled.  
  
"And mine is M.W.R. Muggle Weaponry Research." Bert said, pulling his cap on tighter.  
  
"So basically the whole world is under the eyes of the I.W.A." Hermione said.  
  
"Correct. If we didn't work so hard, the world would be much worse. In fact it was because your mum worked her that she saved you." Sirius informed me.  
  
"How so?" I asked.  
  
"P.C.E.- Potent Countercurses Exploration." Sirius explained as we sat back down. "She was working on this one countercurse. No one knows what, she worked in secret. But it had something to do with what Voldemort did to you, and so she did the spell that saved you."  
  
I frowned slightly. So the only reason Voldemort didn't kill me was because my mother did a powerful spell. Sirius must of been reading my mind because he spoke up again. "Though it worked better then it should of. The curse Voldemort sent you should of left you more then a scar. It should of left you weak, so it wasn't just because of the spell Lily did."  
  
"Oh, its not I was upset in fact I was kind of hoping it wasn't me that was the reason I lived." I said with a sigh.  
  
"BLACK!" We jumped as the door burst open and Sir came in. His steely eyes glared at us teenagers as we huddled behind the adults.  
  
"Cor, he's frightening." Jasmine whispered.  
  
"What do you want, Sir, besides becoming a T.O.P." Sirius said, growling in a most doglike fashion.  
  
"Black I have put up with your antics for long enough. Give me the Stone, and the boy." Sir growled, glaring at me.  
  
"Leave the kid alone, Sir." Sirius said, hands clenched tightly.  
  
"Where's the Stone?"  
  
"Forget the bloody Stone!"  
  
"BLACK!"  
  
"I am TIRED of you! You are the worst 'good' wizard in the history of the Wizarding world. Well, tied with Crouch."  
  
Sir flicked his wand and Sirius was thrown against the wall. "LEAVE MY GODFATHER ALONE!" I screamed, launching myself at Sir. I felt a heavy blow against my chest and crumbled to the ground, breathing hard.  
  
"Leave him alone!" Jasmine and Luna both tried attacking Sir but ended up on the floor, groaning in pain.  
  
"If this is a good wizard, I'd hate to see a bad one." I moaned, getting up and glaring at Sir.  
  
"You've already seen one." Sir hissed.  
  
"Leave.. . Harry... alone!" Sirius said.  
  
"You are in no position to be ordering me, Black." Sir shouted, wand pointed at him.  
  
"No, he isn't. But I am."  
  
I stared in shock and amazement as Peggy stepped forward.  
  
***  
  
"Peggy?!" Ron shrieked.  
  
Peggy tossed back her hair and aimed her wand at Sir. "I suggest you put down that bit of wood, or else."  
  
"You." Sir growled.  
  
"I SAID put it down or are you deaf?"  
  
Sir let his wand drop to the ground to the amazement of everybody in the room. "You are going to get it, Alexia. "  
  
"Oh I think you're the one who's going to get it!" Peggy... Alexia... whoever she was said.  
  
"I'm not the one who got knocked up by a regu." Sir said, glaring at Ron.  
  
"No but you ARE the one threatening perfectly good I.W.A. wizards as well as Harry Potter, and also being violent to get his own selfish way."  
  
"Peg what is going on?" Ron asked, eyes wide.  
  
"Oh, she never told you?" Sir asked with a smirk.  
  
"Told me what, Peg?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I'll tell you in a minute. Right now we get to Number Two."  
  
"NO!" Sir screamed in fear.  
  
Peggy/Alexia smiled. "Oh yes."  
  
***  
  
A few minutes later they were in the hallway filled with eleven silver doors and one gold door. Peggy/Alexia led them to the silver door nearest the gold door and went in. "Where's Number Two?" She asked the secretary.  
  
"He said he'll be back---"  
  
"Now, I'm back now." They turned and saw a smiling Dumbledore come in.  
  
"You work for the I.W.A. too?" Harry asked, feeling the day could not get any weirder.  
  
"He more then works for it, he's Number Two." Peggy/Alexia said.  
  
"The second most powerful being on---er, in and on Earth is you?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yeah, me.  
  
"Then how come you're a headmaster?!" Hermione shrieked.  
  
"Because that is part of my job." Dumbledore said and looked at Sir. "Well now. This is going to be fun."  
  
"You can't do anything to me! You are not Number One!" Sir screamed angrily.  
  
"No, I'm not. But Number One is too busy for the likes of YOU." Dumbledore sneered. "You and I are going to have a little chat..."  
  
***  
  
The group of teenagers were in a nice room, with breakfast (it was morning in England). Draco, Luna, Lupus, and Ginny had been pretty much silent. Harry, Jasmine, and Hermione decided to be quiet during the breakfast (for now).  
  
Ron, however, had a different idea.  
  
"Peggy, I think its time you told me the truth." He said.  
  
Peggy picked at her breakfast, and looked up. "You're right. It is. Dunno if I could hold it in much longer. Well here it comes: I work here."  
  
"You do?" Harry asked.  
  
Peggy nodded. "I do. I was born here. My parents were pretty powerful in the W.P.U. section. My mother was head of the entire thing, actually. I was raised here, pretty much."  
  
"You must be powerful then." Hermione said.  
  
"I am. I could easily pass the N.E.W.Ts if they were given to me now."  
  
"All those bad grades were a cover?" Harry asked.  
  
"They were." Peggy said, glancing at Ron who was staring at her. "Then one day, my mom discovered where Voldemort was hiding out, and went to attack him. She nearly won, but Voldemort killed her. That happened before my second birthday, of course. So I never really got to know her. But my dad says I'm so much like her."  
  
"Why did Sir call you Alexia?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"That is my name here. A lot of the witches and wizards who work here have two names or three. The ones with two have the name they are known as here in the I.W.A., and the ones they are known as when they go to the surface. Only a few wizards and witches have one name. Dumbledore is one of them and I am suspecting Sirius is another."  
  
"So you have two names?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No. I have three. The name given to me at birth, my name here, and my surface name. The reason we have at least two different names is so if there's a leak here in the I.W.A., you know, a bad egg, then they can't pass out our real names." Peggy explained.  
  
"Well, what are your names?" Harry asked.  
  
"My name here is Alexia Webs, named after my mother Alexandria Webs and-"  
  
"Wait, you have a brother." Harry said suddenly, remembering the cave..  
  
"I do." Peggy admitted. "A twin."  
  
"Twin? You're a twin?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"Yes. His name here is Alexander. He was my best friend. I told you about him, Hermione. He's the one I was so close to." Peggy said with a sigh. "Our surface names are Peggy and Paul Morlins."  
  
"Peggy isn't your real name then?" Ron asked in surprise.  
  
"I don't really have a real name. I mean, I never use my birth name."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Erm," Peggy turned slightly red. "Hold on, I can't remember too well. V. V something. VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvOH! Oh yeah, Vanessa ---oh shoot, what was my last name? Bah humbug, I forget."  
  
"You forget your own last name?"  
  
"Its been so long since I used it. I think my brother's name is Vern. Or maybe Vernon. I can't remember clearly."  
  
"So why were you at Hogwarts?"  
  
"Because the school I had been going to closed down. You knew that." Peggy/Alexia/Vanessa said.  
  
"But---what were you doing at that school in the first place?"  
  
"On assignment."  
  
"Assignment?"  
  
"Yes." Peggy (let's just call her that still) said.  
  
"What assignment?' Harry asked.  
  
"A Death Eater. A lot of teenage Death Eaters are Death Eaters because their parents are, but this one had no Death Eaters in her entire family."  
  
"AMY!" Harry shouted.  
  
Peggy nodded. "Yes."  
  
"You mean all along you knew she was---was-"  
  
"A Death Eater, yes." Peggy said with a sigh.  
  
"How come you didn't arrest her when you first met her?" Harry demanded.  
  
"I had no proof. First off, she didn't have the tattoo on her arm. Voldemort sent her on a special mission."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes, you. Eagles shut down because all these accidents happened. Well, they weren't really accidents. Amy did them, so the school would shut down and she had a perfectly reasonable explanation for going to Hogwarts instead of just transferring there out of no where."  
  
"So, all this time you've lied to us."  
  
"I'm afraid so, yes."  
  
"How come you stayed at Hogwarts after Amy was killed?"  
  
"To keep an eye on Harry, among things."  
  
There was silence for quite a few minutes. Then Ron spoke up. "Is all this what you meant when you said you weren't worth it?"  
  
Peggy set her fork down and sighed. "Ron." She looked up into his eyes. "I love you. I love you so much. But my position here at the I.W.A. is extremely tight. Witches and wizards like me are not permitted to fall in love with regular wizards or witches like you. That's what Sir called you, regu. That's what we, er, call you guys. Anyway, there are three things that could happen if we fall in love with a regu."  
  
"What are those three things?" Ron asked, moving closer to Peggy.  
  
"One, I lose my position here at I.W.A., come up to the surface permanently. But the I.W.A. needs me to much to allow that to happen."  
  
"Okay so the others?"  
  
"Two, we break up, I'm never permitted near you again. I'll spend five years without being allowed to even go back to the surface."  
  
Ron gulped. "And three?"  
  
"Three isn't important, luv." Peggy said, holding his hand.  
  
"What is it? Peg, tell me." Ron begged, staring into her eyes with his own.  
  
"Ron, three is very bad."  
  
"Why? What do you have to do? Be killed?"  
  
"No, its what you would have to do." Peggy said very quietly.  
  
"What would I have to do?"  
  
"Ron, forget about it. I refuse to allow you to make a decision like this."  
  
"Well since the first is out of the question that means we will be separated!" Ron said. Peggy clenched her teeth.  
  
"I know but---"  
  
"What is the third? Tell me." Ron begged.  
  
"Ron, the third would be up to you to decide yes or no. Yes means you will be with me---"  
  
"Yes, then."  
  
"Ron please let me finish." Peggy said, sniffling. "Yes means you'll be with me---here. You'd go through training to become an I.W.A. wizard. But it also means you have to stay here, literally, with me. You would not be allowed up to the surface for at the least ten years. You would have to leave your friends, family, everything."  
  
Ron was silent, his face stony.  
  
"I didn't want you to make the decision." Peggy whispered, clutching Ron's hands.  
  
"I see." Ron muttered.  
  
"But.. Wait, Sirius-and everyone.." Harry said slowly.  
  
Peggy turned to him. "They were asked. If you're not asked then.. well, what I said Ron would have to do."  
  
The teens looked up as the doors opened and the adults came in, grinning. "What happened?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sir's been kicked past the curb and straight to Azkaban." Sirius said with a nasty grin.  
  
"Are you serious?" Harry asked.  
  
"Are you inquiring if I am who I am, or if I am telling the truth?"  
  
"Truth."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Turns out Sir has been using quite a lot of illegal ways to get to where he is. He bribes, lies, cheats, threatens, and even stole." Remus said.  
  
"He's being replaced by a much better person. Someone who works for the I.W.A."  
  
"One of you?" Harry asked.  
  
"Er, no." Sirius admitted.  
  
"Professor Conway."  
  
"The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Jasmine asked.  
  
"Yeah. Turns out she was sent to Hogwarts to help keep an eye on Harry. Sir beat her to the job he had, and now Conway's got it." Emerin said.  
  
"We were all surprised but are all very glad." Trixie said.  
  
"It's someone nice, thank goodness." Bert said. "She is going to take it as soon as your school year is over."  
  
"So it looks like the position for DADA teacher is once again empty?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yep. And Dumbledore is sending the Stone to Number One to have it destroyed." Remus said.  
  
"All's well that ends well." Sirius said.  
  
"It hasn't ended, Voldemort is attacking London this Saturday." Harry reminded his godfather.  
  
"Dash it all you're right. And here I was thinking this was the ending of the adventure. Oh well."  
  
"Guys!" Dumbledore came in, eyes wide.  
  
"What?' They all asked.  
  
"Number One wants to see you."  
  
"NUMBER ONE?!" All the workers of I.W.A. screamed.  
  
"But Number One never sees anyone not even Number One's own secretary!" Sirius said.  
  
"He wants to see the lot of you." Dumbledore said, shaking. They went out to in front of the golden doors.  
  
"This is amazing, meeting the most powerful guy in the world." Remus said.  
  
"What makes you think its going to be a guy?" Trixie snapped.  
  
"Shh, the doors are opening." The doors opened and revealed a long hallway. They felt a lot like Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion as they headed down to the magnificent doors at the end of the hallway. The secretary look amazed that Number One wanted to see someone.  
  
Slowly the doors opened and they were all blinded by the light. "Blimey." Emerin mumbled.  
  
The light faded and they all stared, ready to be amazed.  
  
No one was there.  
  
"Where is Number One?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Down here." Said a voice.  
  
Not even years of preparation could prepare them for what they saw. They looked down and screamed as they saw who it was.  
  
"Hello all you happy people."  
  
***  
  
"A DOG?!" Everyone screamed.  
  
Droopy walked forward. "Surprising, isn't it?"  
  
"Wait a minute, a carTOON dog?!" Hermione demanded.  
  
"Nice cover, isn't it?" Droopy asked. Everyone was too shocked to move. "I wanted you to witness the destroying of the Stone." He said and set the Stone down. Out from behind his back he pulled out a hammer bigger then he was. Without moving any part of his body except his arm, the hammer (which was magicked) smashed the Stone into billions of pieces. "Keep up the good work and don't tell anyone about me." Droopy turned and walked through the doors. They slammed behind him, leaving the others still completely shocked. 


	23. The Beginning Of Our End

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE- The Beginning Of Our End (Harry's point of view)  
  
The next few days before Saturday was tense. We were nervous, and unsure. Ron seemed pretty upset over finding out the truth about Peggy. Or Alexia. Or Vanessa. Whichever you preferred to call her. I felt a bit sorry for her, though. She didn't have a true name, she couldn't remember her real last name, or even what her twin brothers real name was.  
  
Those of us who had gone to the I.W.A. were immensely subdued (and still shocked that the most important and powerful being was a CARTOON DOG?!?!!?!?!!?!?!). We didn't really talk to anyone else. Dean, Donnie, Seamus, and Neville got a bit mad at us but oh well.  
  
Finally it was Saturday.  
  
The day of the attack.  
  
Dumbledore, Sirius and the whole rest of them were gone all day. I was apprehensive about their return. We all were. Filch yelled angrily at us and gave us detention for waiting at the front doors all evening.  
  
"Think they'll be back in the morning?" Ron asked that night as we got dressed for bed.  
  
"I hope so." I said quietly and tried to get to sleep.  
  
***  
  
"WHAT?!" We shrieked.  
  
"I SAID nothing happened! No one showed up!" Sirius said, kicking the wall.  
  
Later that day we talked about it. We all looked at Ron and Malfoy, our two sources. "You guys said---"  
  
"Arva lied." Ron said with a shrug. "We should of expected that."  
  
"No, it was supposed to happen yesterday. All the Death Eater kids seemed furious last night." Malfoy said, arms folded and a scowl on his face.  
  
"Maybe Voldemort found out that their attack was known." I suggested.  
  
"Maybe." Peggy said, chewing at her bottom lip and an odd look on her face. "But it doesn't seem to collaborate with Voldemort. I mean, he wouldn't mind a full-blown battle in a huge Muggle city."  
  
"Think it was all a charade?" Ron asked as he stroked her hair. We were sitting at the Gryffindor table a little before lunch. No one seemed to notice or care that Draco Malfoy was sitting with us Gryffindors.  
  
"Maybe. He could of done it to get our knickers in a twist." Hermione said.  
  
"Yeah, have us expecting this huge blow against London any minute. And then weeks, months, or years later when everyone isn't expecting it- boom." Lupus muttered, staring at us from behind his bangs.  
  
"Maybe something distracted him." Luna offered as a suggestion.  
  
"Like what, a giant prairie dog?" Peggy asked. "Er, sorry. Its a quote from a movie I, uh, li... never mind."  
  
"Well, no use discussing this. We don't know what happened, and that's that." I said with a heavy sigh.  
  
*** (Peggy's point of view)  
  
I should of never told Ron any of it. I should of never gotten back together with him after I found out I was pregnant. I should of, I should of, I should of. What was Ron going to do now? Well I certainly wasn't taking him away from his friends and family. I refused to do that. They needed him more then I needed him.  
  
"Peggy." I opened my eyes and saw Robert.  
  
"Hello Robert." I said.  
  
"No hash comment?"  
  
"I don't feel like exchanging nasty remarks with you right away." I said, sighing unhappily.  
  
"Because of that regu."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I told you, Peg. I warned you." He said, folding his arms. I closed my eyes and tears dropped onto my lap.  
  
"You were right. I should of never begun to date him."  
  
"You're actually agreeing to something I said? You must be sick." Robert sat down next to me.  
  
"I should of never come here. I should of left after Amy was killed." I said. Robert put his arms around me, and I sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm stupid."  
  
"No, Peggy, you aren't. He still has the choice."  
  
"No! I refuse to make him do that!" I said, pulling away. "Ron's friends and family need him more then I do."  
  
"So what are you going to do?"  
  
"I don't know, Robert." I whispered. He wrapped his arms around me and we rocked back and forth. Me weeping, him comforting.  
  
"Peggy?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You can call me dad if you want."  
  
*** (Hermione's point of view)  
  
"What are your holiday plans?" Jasmine asked as we sat around a library table. When I say 'we' I meant Harry, Ron, Jasmine, Peggy, Luna, Lupus, Ginny, and Malfoy. Oh and me ofcourse.  
  
"Sirius got a house. I'll be living with him for July." Harry said. "Then Sirius and Trixie are getting married early August so I'll stay with the Weasleys then."  
  
"I'm visiting Viktor for most of it. I'll be back a week before school starts again." I said happily, pulling the photo of Viktor out of my robes pocket and stared down into his smiling face.  
  
"Draco and I are going to visit my family in America, then stay with the Lupin's for the rest of the summer." Jasmine said.  
  
"Yeah, especially since that'll be when mum has our brother or sister and we'll need some help." Luna said.  
  
"You still don't know whether its going to be a girl or boy?" I asked.  
  
"They say girl but you can never be sure till it's born." Lupus pointed out.  
  
"Have they figured out a name?" Ginny asked.  
  
"If it's a girl her name is going to be Areli." Luna said.  
  
"And if its a boy, Zacheriah." Lupus said.  
  
"What about you guys?" Luna asked Ron and Peggy.  
  
"Oh, we haven't figure out any names yet." Peggy said quietly.  
  
"Well I figured out two names but she doesn't like them." Ron said. Peggy rolled her eyes.  
  
"What are you going to do about school when------you know." I asked her. "The baby is born.."  
  
"I don't know." Peggy said with a shrug. "I'm tired, I'm going to take a nap." She kissed Ron's cheek and went off.  
  
***  
  
I sat down on my bed and looked over at Peggy. "Peg, is anything wrong?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Peggy asked as she nibbled crackers.  
  
"You seem a bit subdued lately. Is it because we found out the truth?" I asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then why is it?"  
  
"Its hard you for you to understand, Herms." She said, turning her glasses over in her hands.  
  
"Try me."  
  
Peggy put her glasses back on (I wondered if she needed them) and stared at me. "You'll understand later. I promise you will." She said, voice cracking slightly.  
  
*** (Jasmine's point of view)  
  
Jason floated through the door and I hopped to my feet. "Well?"  
  
"Nothing." He said, sitting down. "I searched the whole place. Empty."  
  
"He must of packed up and moved." I said with a sigh. I had sent Jason to Voldemort's castle (he inquired from other ghosts about where it was) but he promised it was empty.  
  
I sighed and stretched out on my bed, wondering what the heck was going on.  
  
***  
  
Over the first two weeks of June, nothing happened. No attacks from Voldemort, or any sign of him at that. It made me a bit more nervous with the fact he wasn't doing anything then when he was.  
  
"Only two more weeks until the Holidays." I informed Draco.  
  
"Yeah." Draco said with a slight shrug. "I don't think your parents like me."  
  
"Oh, who cares?" I asked with a giggle. Draco ran his slender fingers through my hair and kissed my cheek.  
  
"Only one more year and we're out of school." He said.  
  
"I know. What do you want to do when we get out?"  
  
"I have no clue. Maybe play Quidditch." He said, rubbing my back. We were curled up outside under a tree. "What about you?"  
  
"I don't know, either."  
  
"Have you ever given thought to..."  
  
"To?"  
  
"To us." He said quietly.  
  
"Us?"  
  
"Us."  
  
"What do you mean 'us'?"  
  
"Us-us. Us as a couple."  
  
I looked into his serious face. "Are you looking for a specific answer to a specific meaning of that specific question?"  
  
"Maybe." He said, staring into my eyes with his gray ones.  
  
"And is the specific meaning of that specific question specifically have to do with a specific thing couples become when they are a specific age?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Are you asking if I thought we could ever get married?"  
  
"Erm." Draco said, getting pink tints in his cheeks.  
  
"Draco, I really love you but I'm only fifteen right now. I don't know." I said and he looked slightly worried.  
  
"I'm sorry if I offended you."  
  
"No, no. I'm just saying I don't know yet. I mean, I'll be sixteen when I graduate out of school and so, you know, even if I did know if we could be married we would have to wait."  
  
"I'd wait forever for you." Draco said, his fingers gently going down my face. I smiled and kissed him, feeling like the luckiest girl alive to have such a wonderful man.  
  
***  
  
It was the end of the year. Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup, as well as the House Cup. And soon it was time for everyone to be going home.  
  
"This has been one amazing year." Ginny said as she, Lupus, Luna, Harry, Jasmine, Draco, Ron, Hermione, and a silent Peggy shared a compartment. Hermione pulled strings so it was a roomy Prefect compartment and they fit. Sort of. Jasmine was in Draco's lap, Ginny was in Lupus's, Peggy was in Ron's lap (and he had a slight look of pain).  
  
"Yeah, its so different from last year." Harry said.  
  
"I wouldn't know, I was dead when it was time to go home." Ron said, casually flicking back some of his long red hair.  
  
"Every year it's different." Hermione said. "Every year a new adventure, a new close encounter with the deadly kind, and so many changes."  
  
"And next year is our last." Harry said sadly.  
  
"Yeah." Ron said, combing Peggy's hair with his fingers. She was so obviously pregnant now. Harry guessed that was why Ron had a slight look of pain on his face.  
  
"I wonder what changes await us next year." Hermione pondered out loud.  
  
"I'll be a father?" Ron asked and the others snorted with laughter.  
  
"I wonder who our last DADA teacher will be."  
  
"Dunno, Har." Ron replied with a shrug.  
  
They continued the rest of the trip in silent. When they dragged their things off the train, they saw their parents/godparents to greet them. The first to leave were the Lupins'. Luna kissed Harry goodbye, Lupus kissed Ginny goodbye, and Remus started to kiss Sirius goodbye but Sirius whacked him over the head with his brolly.  
  
Jasmine's adopted parents were there (apparently they decided to take a bit of a holiday so they would be going back to America the next day). Jasmine hugged Harry goodbye and she and Draco left.  
  
Viktor Krum swooped Hermione up in his arms (apparently she was going straight to Bulgaria). Hermione hugged Harry, Ron, and Peggy goodbye before going off with Viktor.  
  
Since Sirius had bought a house quite near the Weasleys, they were all going together. After Molly and Arthur assured Peggy they were not mad at her ('It's completely my son's fault, anyway' Arthur insisted) and said she could come by any time, day or night.  
  
"Thank you." Peggy said, staring at the platform. "Ron, can we talk alone?"  
  
"Of course." Ron said. Harry and the Weasleys as well as Sirius and Trixie, went to wait on the other side of the barrier.  
  
"Ron." Peggy said.  
  
"Are you going to come visit me over July and August?" Ron asked.  
  
"I don't know if I could." Peggy said with a frown.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Ron, the I.W.A. has put me up to the three choices."  
  
"You mean---"  
  
"Yes. They refuse to let me go free so-"  
  
"Either we leave each other forever, or I leave everything." Ron said quietly.  
  
"Ron,"  
  
"Peg." Ron said, putting his finger up to her lips.  
  
"Ron, no. Please, I don't want you to do this."  
  
"Peggy, I love you!" Ron said, wrapping his arms around her large waist.  
  
"I love you too, Ron." She said, sniffling. "That's why I have to do this."  
  
"No!" Ron shouted, holding her tightly (but not too tightly, he did not want to hurt her or the baby).  
  
"Your friends and family need you more then I do."  
  
Ron was shaking slightly now. "But I need YOU! And the baby needs me!"  
  
"Ron, I'm sorry."  
  
"No, Peggy, I'll leave them."  
  
"You can't." Peggy said, closing her eyes. It hurt her so much to do this but she had to. "They need you, and you need them."  
  
"But I need you even more." Ron said weakly.  
  
Peggy pushed away from him. "I love you."  
  
"Peggy don't leave! You'll be back for the school year?"  
  
"I can't." Peggy whispered.  
  
"No, no, no. Don't do this, Peg."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"I'll go with you!"  
  
"You can't! I refuse to let you! Ron, I never wanted to force you into this decision."  
  
"I don't CARE!" Ron shouted, stamping his foot.  
  
"But I DO! Making you stay with me in the I.W.A. would be like locking a wild animal in a cage."  
  
"Peggy..." Ron said, staring into her eyes.  
  
"I am going to Apparate in a minute."  
  
"And then you'll be gone forever?"  
  
"From your life." Peggy's voice was cracking.  
  
"No." Ron grabbed her hands. "NO!"  
  
"It's for the best, Ron. My father was right. Our relationship was not meant to be."  
  
"I WON'T LET YOU!"  
  
"Ron." Peggy stroked his hair, and kissed him gently on the lips. "I love you."  
  
Ron grabbed for her arm, but she Disapparated.  
  
Ron stood on the platform, alone. "Peggy?"  
  
He staggered backwards, feeling like his whole world crashed like a glass ball around him. He banged into the wall and slid down. Ron folded his arms on top of his knees, buried his face in his arms, and cried.  
  
*** (Harry's point of view)  
  
That was how we found him. Pushed against the far wall, crying into his arms. "Ron?" I asked. He didn't reply. "Ron, what happened?"  
  
"Leave me alone." He croaked out.  
  
"Ron, what happened?"  
  
"She's gone."  
  
"Peggy? You'll see her la-"  
  
"No!" Ron said, looking up at me. "She's gone. She didn't want to make me leave you and my family."  
  
"Oh." I said, slowly sinking to my knees. "I'm sorry."  
  
"She's gone, Harry. The only girl I've ever loved. How could she do this? I was willing to go with her to the I.W.A. Damned I.W.A."  
  
"Ron, I'm sorry." I repeated. I felt so horrible for him.  
  
Ron buried his head in his arms again, and cried some more. Unsure what to do, I patted his back. He threw his arms around me and cried onto my head (he was too tall to reach my shoulder). "Ron, this isn't exactly-er-never mind." I guided him through the barrier and explained what happened (leaving out the I.W.A.) to the Weasleys, Sirius, and Trixie.  
  
"How could she do this to me?" Ron asked later that night.  
  
"I am so sorry, Ron." I said. I had no clue what to do!  
  
"I need to be alone." He said in a hollow voice, and went upstairs.  
  
"I can't believe Peggy just left him like that." Ginny said, coming up next to me.  
  
"I know." I said, wondering what had gotten into her.  
  
"Think she'll be back?" Ginny asked me.  
  
"Let's hope so." I muttered. "for Ron's sake."  
  
A/N  
  
Ha! There is the sequel like I promised. It's not very good, I know.  
  
Poor Ron! Yes I know, I am so mean to him! You might be surprised to find out he is my favorite character. *gasps* yes he is! Oh, and in the third book you find out some more interesting things about his side affects (Some bits involving more Animagus). Um. some questions you might have might be answered in the third book. Anyway, I need to make a note right here.  
  
Bert Sallis is based on the best movie/TV/book character ever made into existence. Bert Gummer from the 'Tremors' Trilogy. Muahahahahahahaha I LOVE BERT!  
  
And as for Droopy... I love Droopy!!!! I am a big time Droopy fan!  
  
And as for Mickey... Mickey was my most popular character I ever invented. You can read about Jarveys in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them'. Mickey is a special Jarvey and has the talent of being able to talk perfectly well even though he still is pretty rude-and he will have a comeback (bigger, better and ruder!) in the third book!  
  
And will Peggy come back? You'll find out.  
  
Though I don't like the stories, I'll post up the chapters for the THIRD book.  
  
AD: Coming soon. to a fanfiction site near you.  
  
It's Harry's Seventh and Final year! But things are starting to get weirder by the minute. Then something happens that is so totally amazing there is no words to describe it.  
  
And who will win the war of good versus evil which begins in this story?  
  
Harry Potter and the Seventh Year 


	24. authors note

Hey thanks for the question...  
  
Yes I have a seventh year story written out but when I wrote it, I messed a lot of stuff up, added stuff that shouldn't be there, contradictions with earlier stuff, ect; so I've been going through it. The reason it's taken me sa-lowly is because I'm working on War of the Wizards, as well as ITS sequel War of the ------ (not telling), AS WELL AS two or three of my own novels I'm planning on getting published.  
  
Thanks for checking, I'll try to start posting soon! It's nice to know people still wanna read my (odd) stuff!)  
  
- InchySquinch! 


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